Te Maraurau o te Pae Api’i Cook Islands Ministry of Education has officially welcomed 12 new employees this week who will soon begin their roles in the islands.

These staff members were recruited from Aotearoa New Zealand, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea.

Four will be based in the national office: the Director of the ITC (Information Technology and Communication) Division, three Learning and Teaching Advisors (across Inclusive Education, the Arts, Careers and Enterprise), and one Health and Wellbeing tutor for the Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute (CITTI).

Seven teachers will be distributed across the seven schools of Tereora College (3), Titikaveka College (1), Apii Nikao (2), and Araura College (1) on Aitutaki.

Among the new arrivals is Shelley Berry, former principal of St Joseph’s Primary School, who returns to the islands with her husband Tim and their two children, Conrad and Lachlan. Both Shelley and Tim have secured three-year contracts with Te Maraurau o te Pae Api’i.

This time around she will be working as the Inclusive Education Advisor, and her husband is taking on the role as the Director of the ITC Division.

“It’s exciting to come back,” Shelley shared. “We missed it here a lot and felt homesick, so we’re just happy to be back. I miss the food and the flowers, too.”

Shelley left St Joseph’s Primary School in July 2020. Her hidden talent back then was husking coconuts. She will be looking to acquire even more hidden talents during her next three years here.

Shelley and her family have already settled back into the island lifestyle and look forward to attending their former church, Sacred Heart Parish in Matavera.

Three additional Ministry of Education employees are expected to arrive shortly.