Malapoa College’s student intake drops to 800

Malapoa College is facing a significant decline in student enrollment, with admissions dropping to at least 800 students due to a severe shortage of classrooms, a considerable decrease from the previous figure of over 1,500. This situation has had a notable impact on the normal operation of the school, affecting its overall capacity and resources.

Acting Principal Augustine Tabi has confirmed this information, stating that only 100 Year 11 students and 100 Year 13 students were enrolled this year. This represents a sharp decline compared to previous years, where Year 11 alone typically accommodated over 300 students. The sudden drop in enrollment has presented challenges to the school's teaching arrangements, requiring adjustments to class sizes and schedules.

A key factor contributing to the reduced enrollment is the damage caused by the earthquake. The school suffered significant damage to over 20 classrooms, 8 laboratories, a two-story dormitory, and the dining hall. Tabi stated that the decision to reduce admissions was made after calls to address the issues of classrooms and accommodation for students. The college is currently not offering accommodation, further limiting its appeal to students from outside the immediate area.

Tabi indicated that the government has proposed constructing prefabricated buildings to replace the damaged infrastructure, but this plan has not yet progressed. The school administration has implemented new timetables to manage the reduced learning space. Morning and afternoon sessions have been introduced for different year levels, and some courses are being conducted online. These measures are designed to maximize the utilization of existing resources and maintain the quality of teaching.

Outstanding school fees remain a pressing issue for the college. While half of the arrears have been cleared, the Acting Principal has urged parents to settle all outstanding balances to ensure the smooth operation of the school. Concurrently, following an earthquake assessment, the Ministry of Education stated that demolishing and rebuilding the college would cost over 2.4 billion Vatu, while repairs would exceed 600 million Vatu. The cost of rebuilding Malapoa College's buildings accounts for half of the total recovery cost for damaged school repairs submitted by the Ministry of Education to the Recovery Operation Centre (ROC).