A Filipino teacher in the Cook Islands brought her nine years of experience to enhance her students’ skills, offering them new opportunities in the field.

Maria Bolanio, from the Philippines, arrived in the country this year after taking up the opportunity to teach at Titikaveka College, which has a roll of over 70 students from Years 7 to 10.

Bolanio is the first and only Filipino teacher in the Cook Islands, and equipped with nine years of experience in teaching technology in her home country, she was excited with the opportunity to teach here in Rarotonga.

While still in the Philippines, she harboured an interest in working overseas.

Bolanio came across an advertisement on the Ministry of Education website, seeking for new technology teachers interested in teaching here in the islands.

She applied and got the job.

Bolanio is teaching technology subjects, including sewing, cooking, drafting, and entrepreneurship, under a three-year contract.

She is teaching Year 10 students an “advanced way of sewing”, building on the skills they learned from previous teachers in the same department.

According to Bolanio, the students in the past have learnt the basics of sewing such as threading and hand sewing activities, and she aims to teach them how to use the sewing machine and improve their skills in sewing.

Her Year 10 students are now sewing their own apron for learning and also for usage during cooking classes.

When asked what she hopes to gain from this opportunity, Bolanio said she’s focused more on the peaceful experiences the island has offered and hopes to stay until her time with the College concludes.

“I know once I go back to where I came from, you know, I’m going to miss that experience and also the feeling of when I came here,” she told Cook Islands News.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education welcomed the new teachers, who were inducted into their new roles, preparing for the school term which began on January 20.

The induction process included familiarising the teachers with their roles and assisting them in securing accommodation.

According to Terry Utanga, the director for the Human Resources Management Division at the Ministry of Education, the new arrivals filled various teaching positions.

Most of the teachers from the first group inducted were designated for Tereora College, with additional staff joining Titikaveka College and Nukutere College.

Earlier this month, Minister for Education Vaine “Mac” Mokoroa revealed that last year 29 teachers had left the country, resulting in a shortage of teachers.

Mokoroa said some have retired while others have relocated overseas.