Suva Grammar School

The original Suva Grammar School was built in 1917 on Victoria Parade specifically for European boys. Girls were educated at another building on Selbourne Street a year later. Suva Grammar School is a co-ed school currently located at Nasese.

Last updated on 06 May 2024

Narrated by Koroi Bainivalu

Timeline

1917

In May the British colonial government decided to resume land next to the Carnegie Library in order to build a new school. In the same year the first construction began for the new school.

1918

The new Boys Grammar School was officially opened on 8 July. Originally, the school was established to cater for European boys, British in particular. The school used the New Zealand secondary school curriculum. Teaching staff were brought in from England, Australia, and New Zealand. The school catered for both day scholars and boarders.

The building in Selbourne St. which housed the Suva Public School from 1883 became the Girls Grammar School. Subsequently, some timber buildings were built across the road as the administration and classroom buildings, and this building became the Girls' Hostel.

1923

During early 1923 there were plans to develop a new playground. The objective was to provide space for the scholars to play and carry out leisure activities which included sports, training and exercises.

1930

During early 1930, there were plans to further extend the school building. Prior to the end of this year, the Boys Grammar School building was successfully extended towards the sea.  Over the next decade there were many discussions about relocating the school as the building could not cater for the increasing number of students attending the school.

1940

Temporary buildings were constructed at a new proposed site. It was located between the school and the Grand Pacific Hotel. It was the space which was later occupied by the Fiji Travel Lodge.

1950

After the temporary building was built in 1940, teaching and school life of Boys Grammar School was slowing moving to its new temporary site. This new site were known to old boys at Boys Grammar School as the ‘reclamation’ because it was roughly built as a temporary site. Over the next decade, Boys Grammar School and Girls Grammar School discussed merging and relocating to a single site. The ideal location suggested by the Board of Education was Nasese.

1960

Both Boys and Girls Grammar Schools moved to their new location and was renamed Suva Grammar School. Since 1960, its students have included non-European students from all over Fiji.

References

Ewins, R. (2000-2012). Fiji Grammar School, Suva 1918-1960. Retrieved from A Personal Recollection By Rod Ewins, And Including School Photos Contributed By a number of Boys and Girls Grammer Ex-students: www.justpacific.com/fiji/fijiphotos/grammar/index.htm

-- (1918, July 8). The Fiji Times. Grammar Boys School , p. 14.

-- (1918). Fiji Colonial Report 1905-1920. Suva: Fiji Colonial Government.

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