Suva Grammar School

Summary

Suva Grammar School (or SGS) is a secondary school in Suva, Fiji. The school caters 6 streams for Forms 3 (Year 9) to 6 (Year 12) and 4 streams for Form 7 (Year 13). Suva Grammar has a school population of approximately 1200 students (as of February 2024). The school is considered to be one of Fiji's premier schools. The school's location is near the heart of the city and by the seaside. They are known to be very competitive in sports–particularly in athletics at secondary school level during the annual Coca-Cola games and in the local secondary school's rugby union competition, the annual Deans Trophy, against rival competitors Marist Brothers High School, QVS, Lelean Memorial School and RKS and other sports including basketball, netball, swimming, and cricket. They include a variety of clubs such as chess, taekwondo, swimming, drama and art.

Suva Grammar School
Location
Map
Vuya Road, Nasese Suva

Information
TypeDay School (Secondary Education)
Motto"Seek and Ye Shall Find"
DenominationGeneral Christian based education
Established1917; 107 years ago (on present site since 1960 - the celebrated date of foundation)
PrincipalIosefo Masivue (2020)
GenderMixed-sexed education (Coeducational)
Age13 to 19
EnrollmentApprox. 1,200 (as of February 2024)
Average class size40 to 50 students in a class.
LanguageEnglish
Colour(s)Gold and Blue   

Attire (Males): Safari shirt, Pocket Sulu
 

Attire (Females): Sleeveless Dress
       
NicknameGrammarians OR Lions
RivalMarist brothers high school

History edit

In 1918, the British colonial government established its first school in Suva.[1]

In 2004 the school, in cooperation with police, launched a pilot "Scholastic Crime Stoppers" programme targeting drug use, truancy and other problems.[2][3]

In 2008, members of the Suva Grammar Old Students Association made a request to the Fijian Minister for Education for school principal Ilikimi Kunagogo to be removed.[4]

In 2011, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, Grammar heads signed a partition in which Suva Grammar School was declared the first drug-free secondary institution in the country.

Sports edit

Grammar Ruggers

Suva Grammar has won the coveted prize of school boys' rugby, the Deans Trophy on one occasion and played to a draw with Ratu Kadavulevu School in 2005. They were finalists in 1992, 1993, 2006 and 2022.

Grammar Athletics were the reigning Coca-Cola Games champions in the boys division of the Fiji Secondary School's athletics competitions from 2007–2011, having successfully defended their title for 5 straight years before losing the reigns to rival competitors Marist Brothers High School in 2012. Suva Grammar School won another title (boys division) in 2022. SGS has now won the Coke Games Boys title 6 times. Suva Grammar has also won the Coke Games Girls Division 4 times.

Lions Cheerleaders

Suva Grammar is also noted for their renowned pom pom girls, who have been a fixture at the Annual Coca-Cola Games since 2002, revamping the 'Fiji style' of cheerleading in 2009 before introducing co-ed cheerleading at the 2010 Coca-Cola Games, a testament to the Grammarian trailblazing spirit of innovation and ingenuity in the lead-up to the school's Golden Jubilee celebrations later in July. Grammar's influence in this aspect of secondary school life remains prevalent today with 2017 Coke Games Girls division champions ACS, revamping their own iconic cheerleading squad and other schools starting cheerleading squads as well such as Ballantine Memorial School, western prominent schools Saint Thomas High School, 2015 & 2017 Coke Games Boys division champions Natabua High School and 2014–2016 Coke Games Girls division champions Jasper Williams High School, and even Saint John's College Cawaci from Ovalau.

Grammar Ballers

Suva Grammar also creates an opportunity for students to play basketball participating in zone and nationals. They won the title in 2022 of the Suva zone under 19 boys beating schools including Ratu Kadavulevu School, Yat Sen Secondary School, International School Suva, and their long-time rivals Marist Brothers High School. Suva Grammar also holds the title for under 19, 17 and 15 girls.[5]

Notable alumni edit

Politics, business and academia edit

Sport edit

Arts edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Fijian History - Suva Grammar School Audio Story". fijianhistory.com.
  2. ^ Fighting crime in school Fiji Times, 01 MAR 2005
  3. ^ Police target school crime Fiji Times, 18 SEP 2004
  4. ^ "Minister defers Grammar case - Fiji Times Online". www.fijitimes.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-13.
  5. ^ [1] Fiji Village, 14 OCT 2022
  6. ^ Krishna Datt (person) – Biography Research Guide
  7. ^ Hon. Laisenia Qarase Remarks at Launch of Suva Declaration on Education (.pdf file)
  8. ^ Sprint queen bounces back track Fiji Times, January 11, 2007
  9. ^ Biography - Robin Casper Lovejoy Australian Dictionary of Biography, 2012

18°09′38″S 178°26′15″E / 18.1605°S 178.4375°E / -18.1605; 178.4375