Organised by Nambucca Rotary as part of their Fiji Schools Project, the schedule of visits also included Nambucca High, Coffs Harbour High, Bishop Druitt College and the Senior College at Coffs Harbour Education Campus.

The three principals, four deputy principals and three heads of department from Fiji - plus a sole Year 9 student who is the daughter of one of them - have been meeting with their counterparts in each school, discussing similarities and differences in how their respective education systems operate and observing lessons and the kinds of facilities available for teaching and learning.

Principal Shelly Imran said the study group tour was about transferring best practice, within the limits of their resources.

"We are basically here to see the best practices in these five schools and we plan to pick them up and try to implement them in our schools. But we are not as fortunate in the IT facilities, we have to work with what we have."

She said the Rotary Fiji Schools Project has been helping Fijian schools in the western division increase their stock of IT resources.

"Rotary collects iPads and laptops and projectors from areas around Australia and brings them to Fiji to help underprivileged schools like ours," she said.

In Bellingen, the visit began with a sit-down lunch for 20 people in Mary's Cafe, with hospitality students doing the catering and former Bellingen High principals Paul Holding and Bob Stockton invited along as extra guests.

Principal of Votualevu College in Nadi, Rajesh Chand, described the venue and its kitchen as "industrial standard", unlike those in his school.

He said across the board it was the differences in the level of resourcing that struck him, more than differences in practice.

For example, the local schools have electronic methods of recording attendance, which trigger an SMS message when a student skips a class, whereas in his school, teachers do their recordkeeping manually in a book.

After lunch, the visitors held further discussions with Bellingen High's executive team, observed some lessons and went along to the regular rehearsal session of the Bellingen Youth Orchestra.

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