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The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelago of 176 small islands (about 50 of which are inhabited) scattered over a vast area of the South Pacific. The capital is Nuku'alofa which is located on Tongatapu, the lasrgest islasnd. Here the King, the Government, and interesting archaeological sites. Tonga is located to the south of Samoa and east of Fiji. There are three main groups--Vava'u, Ha'apai, and Tongatapu. The climate is subtropical with a distinct warm period (December-April) and a cooler period (May-November). The annual rainfall increases substantially as one moves from Tongatapu in the south to the more northerly islands closer to the Equator. The Tongans are a Polynesian group with a very small mixture of Melanesian. There are a few European, mixed European, other Pacific Islanders, and Chinese.
As in much of Oceania, the first schools were set up by Western Missianries, in the case of Tonga, American Wesleyan Missionaries (1828). This was before the conversion of most of the population to Christianity. The Wesleyan Mission provided the only important school for several decades. The government took over the responsibility for educational (1882). Other missionary groups were allowed to set up sdchools (1906). Tonga set up a teacher-training college with a 2-year program (1944). A government scholarship program was established to allow Tongan students to pursue higher education overseas. Primary education is now compulsory for all Tongan children.
And as a result, the adult literacy rate exceeds 90 percent. The mission schools use a government syllabus educate about
8 percent of the primary-age children. They play a more importabt role at the secondary level, educating nearly 90 percent of the children. Government primary schools are free, but the children pay a tuitiin fee at the government highschool. The mission schools charge small fees. The country's 115 primary schools anf 750 teachers educated about 17,000 children (1993). Only a portion of the primary graduates continue on to the secondary level. Primary schools are taught in Tongan with lessons in English. Children showing academic promise study for the New Zealand school certificate examination.
The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelago of 176 small islands (about 50 of which are inhabited) scattered over a vast area of the South Pacific. The capital is Nuku'alofa which is located on Tongatapu, the lasrgest islasnd. Here the King, the Government, and interesting archaeological sites. Tonga is located to the south of Samoa and east of Fiji. There are three main groups--Vava'u, Ha'apai, and Tongatapu. The various islands include two types. Most have a limestone base and were formed geologically from uplifted ocean coral formations. Others islands have a limestone base over an old volcanic base. The climate is subtropical with a distinct warm period (December-April) and a cooler period (May-November). The annual rainfall increases substantially as one moves from Tongatapu in the south to the more northerly islands closer to the Equator. The Tongans are a Polynesian group with a very small mixture of Melanesian. There are a few European, mixed European, other Pacific Islanders, and Chinese.
Western missionaries, as in much of Oceania, set up the first modern schools. In the case of Tonga, American Wesleyan Missionaries (1828). This was before the conversion of most of the population to Christianity. The Wesleyan Mission provided the only important school for several decades. The government took over the responsibility for educational (1882). Other missionary groups were allowed to set up sdchools (1906). Tonga set up a teacher-training college with a 2-year program (1944). A government scholarship program was established to allow Tongan students to pursue higher education overseas.
Primary education is now compulsory for all Tongan children. And as a result, the adult literacy rate now exceeds 90 percent. The mission schools use a government syllabus educate about 8 percent of the primary-age children. They play a more important role at the secondary level, educating nearly 90 percent of secondary students. Government primary schools are free, but the children pay a tuition fee at the government high school. The mission schools charge small fees. The country's 115 primary schools and 750 teachers educated about 17,000 children (1993). Only a portion of the primary graduates continue on to the secondary level. Primary schools are taught in Tongan with lessons in English. Small countries like Tonga have to teach English or other major language because so few books are published in Tongan. This means a knowledge of English is ncessary for any studies beyond thec primary level. Children showing academic promise study in English for the New Zealand school certificate examination.
Most Tongan schools seem to have basic uniforms. The few images we have all show rhe children weating unigorms. There are a large number of relatively small islands and thus quite a number of small schools. Each school determines the uniform for the children. The boys seem to wear shirts with short pants or a skirt affair. We do not know what it is called in Tonga. Presumably it as based on traditional dress. The one example we have shows a grey skirt or kilt garment. We suspect that many other colors are worn in the various different islands. We note different colored shirts. Khaki shorts seem common. The girls wear blouses and sjirts or blouses with jumpers (gym slips). We see white blouses and red skirts and dresses. There may have been other colors, but becuse red and white are the colors of the Tongan flag, this may have been a popularand patriotic choice. The boys uniforms seem more muted. We have infotmtion on only few islands so there may be different types of uniforms and different colors on the many different islands that make up Tonga.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
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[The 1930s]
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