SUVA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Fiji is hosting the 2018 Vaka Pacifiki Education Conference in capital city of Suva on Thursday, with participants from different Pacific Island countries gathering here to share ideas and experiences.

The theme for the conference is "It takes an Island and an Ocean: Rethinking Pacific Education for Resilient Healthy Communities." This conference will in turn transform Pacific education to meet the needs of Pacific children in terms of their own values, their knowledge system, their beliefs, their culture and their relationship.

While delivering the opening address on Thursday, Fijian President Jioji Konrote said it was an honor to be among a distinguished group of academics with vested interest in enhancing education in a holistic way, keeping learning in tandem with valued cultural ethics.

Teachers, school leaders, curriculum writers, educational administrators from around the region and abroad are attending the two-day conference, which will discuss various approaches to learning in Oceanic communities, and explore modern methods of disseminating information.

The Vaka provides an opportunity for Pacific academics to network, collaborate, and share lessons learned and best practices to contribute to the overall objective of rethinking how Pacific educators, can better deliver in a continuously evolving environment.