Faculty of Education, Arts, and Humanities

Welcome to the Faculty of Education, Arts, & Humanities (FEAH). It is one of four faculties established at the official launch of the Tonga National University (TNU) in January 20th 2023. This faculty is an amalgamation of three former Ministry of Education & Training’s (MET) post secondary institutions namely the Tonga Institute of Education (TIOE) now School of Education (SOE), School of Media and Journalism (SMJ) which was part of the Tonga Institute of Higher Education (TIHE), and the Ako Tu’uloa or the Open Access Education. In May 2024, a new addition to the faculty was welcomed with the establishment of the School of Tongan Language and Culture (STLC).

FEAH offers fourteen programmes; nine by SOE, two each by SMJ and Ako Tu’uloa, and STLC offers one. FEAH’s vision is ‘To aspire for excellence in programme development, delivery, scholarship and research and in the attainment of the highest standards in education. SOE has had an influential role in teacher education in Tonga for over eight decades, guided by a vision ‘to nurture quality teachers for Tonga’. SOE takes pride in offering some of the nation’s premiere undergraduate and graduate preservice teacher education programs. The school envisions maintaining a leadership role in the generation of new knowledge, ideas and innovative pedagogical skills leading to enhancement of quality of teaching and learning take place in Tongan classrooms and in the lives of learners. Central to SOE’s training philosophies is empowering teacher trainees (TTs) to excel in their teaching career thereby providing trainees with both theoretical and pragmatic teaching and learning experiences gauging teacher professionalism, competence, devotion and commitment as integral parts of their Faiako Ma’a Tonga training.

The School of Media and Journalism was established two decades ago providing students with the foundational building blocks of media and journalism work plus a wide range of knowledge and skills in journalism and reporting. Graduates commence at graduate-level journalist positions in news rooms or graduate-level media communication positions across government, non-government organisations or private sector businesses with opportunities to learn on-the-job skills.

In 2021, the Open Access Education (Ako Tu’uloa) was established to provide pathway programmes for keen and resilient students who left school or dropped out of secondary education, but have had a renewed desire to return to formal education.

The School of Tongan Language and Culture has submitted her Bachelor Programme in Tongan Language and Culture for accreditation with the Tonga National Qualification and Accreditation Board (TNQAB), which will be the newest first-degree programme in this discipline for the nation.

Driven by the commitment to educational excellence, constant pursuit of knowledge and visionary thinking, FEAH will continue to be a preeminent place for learning, research and training in education, communication, media, and journalism studies, Tongan Language and Culture, and exploring appropriate pathways to higher level studies for those requiring such. I kindly invite you to join us in that pursuit and make the most of your time here as you advance your career goals at FEAH!

‘Ofa atu

Dr Sela. Tapa’atoutai-Teisina

Dean, FEAH