The University of the South Pacific’s (USP) Tonga Campus conducted a radio orientation, owing to the COVID-19 restrictions, for its students last month.
Since Vavau Island (Vavau Centre) is also on lockdown, it was decided that students who enrolled through the Vavau Centre would tune in through a radio orientation. Ha’apai Centre was also invited to join in the radio orientation with students in other parts of Tonga like ‘Eua Island.
Due to the restrictions, only the USP Tonga Campus Director, Dr Robin Siale Havea, Student Administrative Services officer, Ms Ana Ve’ehala and USP Pacific TAFE Coordinator, Mr Lofan Tupou, were allowed to conduct the orientation from the FM Radio Broadcom 87.5 Radio Station.
USP Tonga Campus Director, Dr Robin Siale Havea, said the radio orientation was a success given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 restrictions, particularly when mass gatherings were discouraged.
“We were able to talk about the key elements that we think were essential to any new student. We were happy that the programme reached out to the outer islands of Ha’apai and Vava’u where we have Centres”.
The contents of the Radio Orientation programme focused on the delivery of essential information to students. The first half of the session covered necessary information for new entrants and existing students while the second half focused on a talkback where listeners could ask questions and receive immediate responses.
First-year USP Bachelor of Arts (History and Geography) and a student from Ha’apai Centre, Tevita Liuaki said the radio orientation programme was exciting and informative.
“I think the orientation was good, and the questions asked were accurately answered. I was able to gain important information from USP officials present, and that cleared all my doubts,” Tevita said.
First-year USP Bachelor of Commerce student from ‘Atele Campus, Nolini Va’enuku had a similar opinion regarding the radio orientation programme.
“I could directly ask questions on things that I was not aware of. Responses to the questions were clear, concise, and helpful. Supplementary information on the Tonga Campus Facebook page was convenient and helpful, especially during this strict lockdown week,” she said.
Tupou Havea, a first-year Bachelor of Arts student from Vava’u Center, said the orientation was informative and effective.
“It was an awesome radio orientation, and the staff contacts were also given so that we could reach out to them during the Red Zone Lockdown”.
