The 130th anniversary of Adventist education in the island kingdom of Tonga coincided with Tonga Mission’s 16th quinquennial session, held in December.
Adventist education in Tonga commenced in 1895 with a one-classroom school enrolling 12 students in the capital, Nuku’alofa. Since then, it has grown to four schools, where approximately 1000 students are holistically nurtured for both this life and eternity.
Adventist schools have played a crucial role in fulfilling the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Tonga, serving as key avenues for discipleship and evangelism. During the session, Mission secretary Pastor Sekope Finau reported that church membership has grown from a single baptism in the early 1900s to more than 4000 baptised members in the island kingdom.
Adventist education continues to be instrumental in equipping people for mission service. In the early 1920s, Sione Latu studied at Avondale College in Australia before returning to Beulah Adventist College as a teacher. In the 1950s, former Beulah College students—Henele Moala, Stephen Fine and ‘Ilaisa Teaupa—also returned to serve as teachers. Pacific Adventist University (PAU) has contributed to leadership capacity-building for Tonga Mission. Among its graduates is Lemani Matui, who holds a Master of Education and currently serves as an Adventist school principal in Tonga.
Fulton Adventist University has been supporting the training of ministers in Tonga since its establishment in the early 1940s in Korovou, Tailevu. In 2024, four ministers from Tonga Mission graduated from Fulton’s first cohort of the Certificate in Theology program. The quinquennial session featured the ordination of these four ministers—Pastors Demsey Tukia, Kasitano Hakeai, Sione Finefeuiaki and Siuela Peleketi—bringing the total number of ordained pastors in Tonga from five to nine, an increase of almost 50 per cent.
Reports presented during the session also highlighted the contribution of Adventist education to church growth through strategic health-focused initiatives. These included participation in the 10,000 Toes and Trans Pacific Union Mission Walk4Life campaigns, as well as partnerships with the Tongan government through the Health Promoting Schools program. Adventist schools have consistently been recognised by the government as thriving, health promoting schools, achieving the highest platinum accreditation level, according to education director Siaosi Masila.
South Pacific Division education director Elisapesi Manson said Adventist education remains a cornerstone of the Church’s mission in Tonga. “Amid ongoing challenges of fluctuating enrolments and shifting worldviews, Adventist education will continue in the island kingdom through the rigorous implementation of the Quality Adventist Schools accreditation framework,” she said.
Tonga Mission president Fanueli Mataele affirmed that Adventist education will continue to support the mission of the Church in Tonga until Jesus comes again.
