Click here to listen to Vanuatu’s National Anthem sung by the children of Namaru Primary School

 

Avock is one of the 3 main islands making up the Maskelynes group, home to approximately 200 people. The majority of children from this island attend Namaru Primary School until Year 6. Although the school is attached to Avock, it can be reached by foot only at low tide. To get to school, children traverse coral and mudflats, cleaning up before attending class. At high tide, local transport involves paddling the ‘kanu’, local dugout canoes. The journey can be difficult during the rainy season or when the seas are rough.

Despite limited funds,  the school committee is dedicated  to improving facilities one at a time. It has organised repairs to a number of leaky classrooms out of the annual school budget. After a 5-year wait, the school finally received a water tank. Next on the list was lighting for 4 of the 6 classrooms and the administrative office. This has now been provided by the Butterfly Trust. With the solar power supplemented occasionally by a generator, a photocopier and printer are also in use. This has markedly improved the ability of the school to function effectively and improve the education of its pupils.

 

Click to view a video clip of the children from Namaru School.