The atmosphere around Rarotonga is buzzing with the back-to-school energy, as parents are spotted shopping for school supplies and uniforms with their children.

Local stores are filled with eager students and their families preparing for the upcoming school term, which starts next week.

For Tereora College, the country’s national college, the schedule is packed as staff and students prepare for a successful start to the school year.

Teachers will be reporting for duty on Monday, January 20, starting at 8:30am. The day will also feature interviews for new 2025 enrolments from 1pm to 3pm.

On Tuesday, January 21, senior students will be engaged in Course Confirmation from 11am to 3pm.

The following day, Wednesday, January 22, will see teachers attending the Rarotonga Teachers Conference, where educators will gather to discuss important matters for the upcoming academic year.

Classes for students will officially begin with a staggered start on Thursday, January 23, for Year 9 and Year 13 students at 8:25am.

The following day, Friday, January 24, will see the staggered start for Years 10, 11, and 12, also beginning at 8:25am.

Full school operations will commence on Monday, January 27, with all students expected to attend at 8:25am.

The Ministry of Education this week welcomed a group of nine new educators, including eight teachers and a principal, who were inducted into the Ministry.

Terry Utanga, director of the Human Resources Management Division, confirmed that the new arrivals will be filling a variety of teaching roles.

The new recruits are expected to help address staffing shortages and ensure that schools are equipped to meet the needs of their students in the coming academic year.