Growing up on a small farm in Siberia, Labasa, Vishnu Deo Sharma faced a lot of challenges as a youngster in a rural area with very little facilities. However, going to school was something he looked forward to. Books, desks, classroom and playgrounds were comforting. He decided quite early on in life that he was going to become a teacher and contribute to the education sector of the country.
Today, Sharma is the Principal of Baulevu High School, a position he was promoted to in September 2018 under the Open Merit Recruitment System of the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts after serving as the Vice Principal of Vunimono High School, one of the largest schools in the central division of Fiji for one year.
“When I was young, we used to fetch water from the well which was almost a kilometer away from our house. I also worked on our small farm, sold vegetables and walked barefoot to school. But when I think about those times, I have to admit those struggles played a large part into what I’ve accomplished today,” said Sharma. Little did Sharma realise that being thrown into leadership roles early in life would build a solid platform on how he would progress in life and become the person that he is today.
After successfully completing his education at Labasa College, Sharma enrolled at the Fiji National University’s Fiji College of Advanced Education (FCAE) in Nasinu.
Travelling from Vanua Levu to the main island Viti Levu, Sharma says was a challenge in itself. But being young and up for adventure, Sharma made his first trip to the capital city Suva.
“This was the first time I had stayed away from my family. It was difficult at first as I missed my family and the home cooked meals but slowly as I made new friends at the College I got used to things and it was actually kind of fun,” said Sharma.
At FCAE Sharma actively participated in religious gatherings and was part of the student “ramayan mandali” (Hindu religious group). He was also keen on sports and played soccer while in College.
After his graduation in 1995 Sharma received his first posting as an Assistant Teacher at Naikavaki Junior Secondary School in Bua. Sharma continued his teaching career at different schools and also served as the Education Officer, Sigatoka and a Senior Education Officer at the Ministry of Education in Suva.
Like many others, Mr. Sharma also met his life partner at FCAE. Today they are married with two children. His son is a second year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) student at College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS) at FNU and his daughter is in Year 13 at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School. They currently reside in Nakasi.
Reminiscing about his past, Sharma remembers the hardships his family went through and is proud that all of his siblings are educated. He is thankful to his parents for their continued tireless support.
Sharma strongly believes that Education will not only broaden ones horizon but it will ensure a successful and fulfilling career. He said nowadays students are so lucky to have scholarships and loan schemes which will ensure they have a chance of pursuing their educational dreams and turn them into a reality.
“It was quite difficult until recently to see young students being able to pursue their dream careers as not everything is readily available, however, thanks to initiatives being introduced by government as well as the number of other scholarships available pursing dreams is possible,” said Sharma.
Sharma’s advice to students is to study hard to achieve success in life. For those wanting to be teachers, Sharma says that it is important to be determined and passionate.
“There is a transformation from being at one side of the table to the other side, so it is important to be passionate about it. If you are passionate teachers there will be passionate learners. Be role models and mentors”, said Sharma.