UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- For most Tongan youth, educational opportunities are limited. Despite government efforts and a cultural tradition that embraces education, the reality is that a lack of available resources limits the potential of generations of young people.
It is clear by talking to locals and government officials that the Kingdom of Tonga highly values education. A majority of primary schools are run by the government, and are free and compulsory for all children from ages 5 to 14. The literacy rate is therefore high.
Just recently, the newly crowned King George Tupou V declared that he would maintain the long tradition of education during his reign.
Despite such enthusiasm, secondary schools are hard to come by.
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), just over half of Tongan males attend secondary school. Low enrollment is often attributed to lack of access.
Most secondary schools are run by the church and are found only on the main island of Tongatapu. The entire kingdom is made up of 169 islands, leaving most Tongans without access to vital resources.
On Tongatapu, it is easy to spot a secondary school run by a church. They usually have the freshest paint, basketball courts and green fields for playing rugby, and youngsters romp the grounds in clean uniforms.
Locals told Xinhua that by becoming Mormon, for example, and paying a percentage of their household income, parents can ensure that their child receives a quality secondary education.
Christina Hulu, 13, attends Liahona High School, a co-ed Mormon school. In near-perfect English, Hulu told Xinhua that she was happy to go to school and liked her teachers. But if she speaks Tongan in school, she would be punished by having to collect trash, she admitted.
The price for not sending a Tongan adolescent to secondary school can be high, leading to a greater likelihood of joining gangs and slipping into a life of crime, according to a report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
Often dependent on their parents for too long, children without their own means of survival can strain a family's already limited financial resources. The ADB has concluded that this can lead the community to reject or criticize the youth in question.
And no matter in which country, being stigmatized often leads to alcohol or substance abuse.
A lot of young people smoke, Hulu and her friend confessed.
"They smoke, and there are a lot of people who don't go to their home, people who just do those kinds of bad things," she said.
About 47.3 percent of underage children living on the main island of Tongatapu smoked cigarettes, while 20.7 percent drink alcohol, according to a 2001 UNICEF report.
Hulu said she wanted to be a doctor when she grows up. And what about dating? Not until she turns 16, she said.
Special report: Global News Day for Children
