Adventist schools in the Trans Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) continue to move forward despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now that face-to-face classes have resumed after the coronavirus lockdowns, teachers have been working tirelessly to assist students to catch up on their work and prepare for their mid-year examinations.
For many of the schools, the coronavirus crisis has actually been a blessing in disguise. When classes resumed Samoa Adventist College and Mizpah Adventist High School (Tonga) both had an increase in enrolments.
Iakina Adventist Academy in American Samoa faced the challenge of collecting students’ school fees during the lockdown. However, the government stepped in and paid the outstanding fees—providing three times more than they had expected.
The Solomon Islands Mission education department took the opportunity to visit rural schools while in Fiji teachers from Suva Adventist College visited their sister school, Navesau Adventist High School, with groceries to support the teachers and their families.
A week of prayer with the theme, “Be Firm in Faith”, hosted by the teachers of Funafuti Adventist School in Tuvalu, emphasised the power of prayer in such a time as this.
“It has been an amazing journey for our schools to witness God’s providence and leading despite the challenges,” TPUM associate education director Mele Vaihola said.
“On behalf of the TPUM education department we thank all our Adventist schools for your commitment to ensure that our schools are a place where our students and community find hope during this COVID-19 period.”
