The Handing Over Ceremony for “The Project for Upgrading Amelvet Junior Secondary School” under the Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Human Security Projects (GGP) programme(15 April 2024)

　　　　　　　　　　　　

On 15^th April, H.E. Mr. OKUDA Naohisa, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Vanuatu, successfully handed over the new school facilities to Amelvet Junior Secondary School worth of US$423,019 (VUV47,767,390) under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) Programme.
Hon. Anatole Hymak, Minister for Education and Training attended the handover ceremony along with other officials of the Ministry and the Malampa Provincial Education Office.
 
The Amelvet Junior Secondary School had only two thatched buildings used as classrooms, one of which was also used as a dining hall for the boarders. In classrooms with no walls, bare floors and no flooring, a few days of rain can disrupt teaching and damage educational equipment.  To address these issues, the Japanese government has provided the school with the school facilities in this project to ensure a quality educational environment and to raise the educational standards of the students.
In addition, these facilities were used as shelters by local residents during the Cyclone Judy, Kevin, and Lola attacks last year. As this response shows, the facilities will not only serve as a place for students to study but will also serve as a safe haven for the entire community in the event of a natural disaster.
 
In his speech, Ambassador OKUDA said, “Japan knows from its own experience that education and human resource development are extremely important for nation building.”. He also stated “I sincerely hope that you will ensure that proper maintenance and management is carried out so that these school facilities and furniture will serve you all and the coming generation for many years to come. This project will be a fantastic symbol of the friendship between the people of Vanuatu and the people of Japan. We hope that all the students here will enjoy their studies in this improved environment”.
 
Since 1996, the Government of Japan has been providing not only large-scale development projects such as infrastructure construction, but also small-scale assistance at the grassroots level since 1996. The areas of assistance under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP) are diverse including education, health and water supply etc. and to date, the Embassy of Japan has implemented 139 projects including those currently underway, totaling more than US$ 12.1 million.