Pacific leaders prove education has no expiry date

AGE is no barrier to learning, and the Pacific has long shown that education can be a lifelong pursuit.

From elder politicians, regarded as a founding father of modern Fiji, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who returned to higher learning deep into a distinguished political career, to the Solomon Islands contemporary leaders like Dr. David Mapuru, who rose from manual work to doctoral study and now helps train the next generation, the region has long shown that age is no barrier to ambition, growth or service.

That spirit was on full display in Majuro, Marshall Islands, when the University of the South Pacific awarded President Hilda C. Heine an honorary Doctor of Letters during its Marshall Islands graduation ceremony at the Educational Cultural Centre, before more than 120 graduates from across the Pacific.

The ceremony was presided over by  King Tupou VI, the university’s chancellor, and became more than a formal recognition of academic achievement.

It became a reminder that learning, leadership and purpose remain intertwined at every stage of life.

Heine’s honour carried a meaning that reached beyond the ceremony itself. In accepting the degree, she framed the recognition as a reflection of a shared Pacific commitment to widening educational opportunity and preparing young people to lead with purpose and integrity.

Education, she said, remains one of the most powerful tools for creating opportunity, strengthening communities and opening doors for future generations.

She dedicated the honour to the people of the Marshall Islands, thanking them for their confidence and support throughout her career as an educator, public servant and national leader.

The tribute gave the moment a personal centre, tying the award not just to Heine’s public service but to the community that shaped it.

The message suited the occasion. In a region where leaders have repeatedly returned to study, reinvented themselves, and pursued new goals later in life, Heine’s recognition stood as both a celebration and an encouragement.

It underscored a Pacific truth that has echoed across generations: you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.