The Tonga Soroban Competition, co-hosted annually by the Embassy of Japan in the Kingdom of Tonga and the Ministry of Education and Training, was held in Neiafu, Vava’u on Thursday 14th August, 2014.
19 primary schools in Vava’u participated in the competition held at the Maamamo‘onia Hall of Mailefihi Siu‘ilikutapu College. A total number of 300 students from Class 3 to Class 5 competed with each other in the following three categories: written examination, oral examination, and flash examination.
The Government Primary School of Neiafu ranked first in the inter-school competition across all categories and classes in Vava’u (kindly refer to the attachment for the result of the competition in Vava’u). The top three students in the written examination from Classes 3 and 4 are going to represent Vava’u Primary Schools in the National Soroban Competition to be held in Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu in March 2015.
Soroban education started in Tonga since the 1970’s and has served as one of the foundations of long-standing and strong ties between Japan and Tonga, and has been proven to contribute to strengthen mathematical skills of primary students throughout Tonga, hence incorporated as a compulsory element of the mathematics subjects from Class 3 to Class 5 in Government Primary Schools in the Kingdom.
The Tonga Soroban Competition has been co-hosted annually by the Embassy of Japan in Nuku’alofa and the Ministry of Education and Training since 2010. The Competition starts with an annual Regional Competitions for the outer islands prior to the National Competition in Nuku’alofa. This year’s competition started in Ha’apai on July 31st, in Vava’u on August 14th, and in Tongatapu on September 2nd, 4th and 11th, and later in ‘Eua on October 16th, before concluded with the National competition in March 2015.
The series of Soroban Competitions are supported by the Tonga Soroban Education Association, JICA Tonga office, and Japan International Soroban Diffusion Foundation.
Tonga Soroban Competition in Vava’u
Participating Schools: GPS Neiafu, GPS Toula, GPS Liviela, GPS Tu’anuku, GPS Nga’unoho, GPS Pangaimotu, GPS Longomapu, GPS ‘Utungake, GPS Taoa, GPS Tefisi, GPS Feletoa, GPS Leimatu’a, GPS Tu’anekivale, GPS ‘Utulei, GPS Makave, GPS Holonga, GPS Ha’alaufuli, GPS Koloa, GPS Houma.
Result:
Class 3
| Written |
| Oral |
| Flash |
|
1 | Sione Tukuafu | Neiafu | Sione Tukuafu | Neiafu | Sione Tukuafu | Neiafu |
2 | ‘Eikipeavale Vainikolo | Neiafu | Savelina Tupou | Neiafu | Seini ‘Otukolo | Neiafu |
3 | Vakatapu Finau | Neiafu | Gabriella Mailangi | Neiafu | Savelina Tupou | Neiafu |
Class 4
| Written |
| Oral |
| Flash |
|
1 | Lasalle Talau | Liviela | Lasalle Talau | Liviela | Lasalle Talau | Liviela |
2 | Litia Ta’ufo’ou | Liviela | ‘Epenisa Sikalu | Toula | Tupou Lepolo | Neiafu |
3 | Kalolaine Fa | Neiafu | Mele Fa’aumu | Liviela | ‘Epenisa Sikalu | Toula |
Class 5
| Written |
| Oral |
| Flash |
|
1 | Kalisi Malimali | Neiafu | Mele Vainikolo | Liviela | Kalisi Malimali | Neiafu |
2 | William Heart Pulotu | Toula | Sione Fotu | Neiafu | William Heart Pulotu | Toula |
3 | Mele Vainikolo | Liviela | Kesiliti To’ia | Leimatu’a | Sione Fotu | Neiafu |
Teacher
| Written |
|
1 | Mele ‘Ahofono | Holonga |
2 | ‘Ana Pisiola Fakava | Neiafu |
3 | Malia Ngalo | Tefisi |
School
| Written |
1 | GPS Neiafu |
2 | GPS Toula |
3 | GPS Liviela |
