Australia Awards alumnus, Teoni Faafou Paape is passionate about education for all. Having taught primary education across remote schools in Tuvalu, Teoni was determined to broaden his ability to meet the diverse needs of students and local communities.
In 2016, Teoni pursued a Bachelor of Education at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Fiji, through the Australia Awards Pacific Scholarship.
During his studies, Teoni took on the role of the Tuvalu Students Association President and, true to his character, supported his peers in their tertiary education by implementing a support network and encouraging their success.
Teoni returned to Tuvalu with new insights and a confidence to drive change in Tuvalu’s education system. As a Numeracy Education Officer with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Teoni applies his knowledge and skills to design training modules for teachers, and further supports parents and local communities in their education roles.
Teoni continues to live by his favourite saying,
“education begins in the womb and ends in the tomb”
and thanks the Australian government for its investment in his home country.