The ‘Tree of Opportunity: Re-thinking Pacific Education’ ebook was launched on the 19th of November, 2021 via Zoom and attended by educators and all with a passion for Pacific Education in the region and overseas. This is one of a series of online events hosted by the Institute of Education, USP and the Victoria University of Wellington to celebrate 20 years of the Re-thinking Pacific Education Initiative for and by Pacific Peoples (RPEIPP).
This is an ebook version of a paperback book published by IOE in 2002, featuring selected papers from the Re-thinking Pacific Education Colloquium held at The University of the South Pacific from 25 – 27 April, 2001. The program started with Pacific music and a picture slideshow from the launch of the original book that was held in Wellington, New Zealand and Suva, Fiji back in 2002. The opening prayer was conducted by Dr. Mo‘ale ‘Otunuku and welcome remarks by the Chair, Associate Professor Kabini Sanga. The panel was joined by authors including Gatoloaifaana Tili Afamasaga of Samoa, John Niroa of Vanuatu and Joash Maneipuri of Solomon Islands, sharing their reflection on their chapters and experiences in the past 20 years. The panel also included book champions that have been using this book as a resource in the past 20 years including Dr. Tanya Samu of The University of Auckland, Dr. David Fa‘avae of The University of Waikato, Dr. Frances Vaka‘uta of SPC and Stanley Houma, an educator from the Solomon Islands.
The guest speaker of the online launch was Trisha Nally of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade. Trisha Nally is one of the key people that contributed to the starting of the RPEIPP and the ‘Tree of Opportunity’ book was one of the first publications from the Re-thinking Pacific Education Initiative. The Director of the Institute of Education, USP – Dr. Seu‘ula Johansson Fua launched the ebook. This ebook version is dedicated to the late Teweariki (Tevi) Teaero, one of the founding members of the RPEIPP. Tevi, as he was known to his friends and colleagues, passed away in his homeland of Kiribati just a few months prior to the launching of this e-book. In preparation of this ebook, the Publisher acknowledged and thanked the following people:
The closing prayer was conducted by Joash Maneipuri and informal talanoa continued before the closing of the session. This ebook is a gift from the Institute of Education to the region and it will be available for free and made sharable from the IOE website.
The ebook can be downloaded from here.
