2 days Ago By Ana Madigibuli
To mark the school’s centennial celebration, students of Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) marched with their new military colour that signified the school’s 100th year anniversary. The cadet corps introduced the military colour during their cadet passing-out parade that was held at their school ground in Tailevu last week. There to inspect the parade was the Republic of Military Forces chief of staff Land Force Command, Colonel Viliame Draunibaka.
“Today’s parade is significant as it marks the longest standing military tradition of colour,” he said. “I must congratulate the school leadership and those that were involved in the inception of the colour. “For the parade commander, parade 2IC (second in command), the detachment commanders and those on parade, let me begin by congratulating you.
“I’m honoured to stand before you with your parents, family, friends and old scholars to bear witness to your excellent execution of drills, formation and endurance to commands.” He said the manners in which the cadets performed during their passing-out parade should be attributed to themselves, their parents, families, old-scholars and their instructors. “During the past few weeks, instructors have instilled in you the meaning of drills – which is to produce cadets who are alert and obedient and to provide the basis of discipline and teamwork,” he said.
During this address Col. Drainibaka also spoke about the centennial celebration. He said the event marked the school being a beacon of excellence and tradition over the years.
“As we stand on the ground that has nurtured generations we are reminded of the school’s journey from its inception in 1924,” he said. The celebration, he said not only honoured the past but forges the future that will embody great values, resilience and excellence. Four awards were presented during the parade with the baton of honour award being awarded to the school’s head boy, Joseva Raiwalui.
Raiwalui hails from Nasauvuki Village in Moturiki, Lomaiviti with maternal links to Dromuna Village in Kaba, Tailevu. He said being a leader at a school like Ratu Kadavulevu School was not an easy task and that he needed God’s guidance to lead. He said when he joined the school as a Form 3 student, he wanted to participate in a cadet training, but it wasn’t done at the time.
“To be given the opportunity to lead especially for the first time was a challenge, but I’m grateful we were able to do it with the help of the instructors and God,” he said. There were 720 students on parade with four cadets being female. The parade was held after a lapse of more than four years.
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