Mizpah Adventist High School in Vava’u, Tonga, celebrated the opening of a new classroom on March 11, 2024.

Valued at TOP$150,000, the new facility is designed to enhance student engagement and develop 21st century skills. The classroom—fully furnished with online resources—was officially opened by Minister ‘Etuini Mo’unga, president of the Beulah Ex-Students Association in the United States, which funded the project.

New Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teaching and learning resources were also launched. Costing TOP$20,000, these resources are aimed at providing quality home economics education and were funded by the school through key stakeholders including the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the district of Vava’u and wider church communities in Tonga.

“This new, promising approach to learning advocates engaging learning environments where learning spaces are intentionally set up to encourage flexibility and group work,” said Dr Elisapesi Manson, education consultant for Adventist Schools in Tonga.

“Technology is also used for research and discovery, and to access a wide variety of online resources and develop real-world skills. It will be exciting to experience the new possibilities that emerge and how these developments will continue to promote quality learning at Mizpah Adventist High School.”

The initiative aligns with the findings of a school improvement needs assessment study conducted in 2021. Identified areas for enhancement included the development of 21st century skills and the incorporation of TVET disciplines into the curriculum.

The original article was published on Adventist Record, the South Pacific Division's news site.