Reece Tuala-Fata, Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) student, is happy to be back in the classroom

It’s taken time and patience for Reece Tuala-Fata to be able to continue his Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) studies.

After a three-year hiatus to support his wife through her studies, the Samoan father-of-four is back at EIT to finish his teaching qualification.

Reece’s work with troubled youth in alternative education over the past few years has given him a desire to teach in low-decile primary schools.

“I help 14 and 15-year-olds gain their NCEA level one qualification outside of the mainstream school system,” he explains. “I want to help them before they get to that place.”

Through this work Reece is a first-hand witness to the bad decisions youth can make.

“I want to help children learn how to make better decisions as they get older and to choose better paths for themselves.”

Reece’s desire to teach came after he left the Hawks and took up coaching basketball. “It was then that I realised that I wanted to work with kids,” Reece explains.

After years of coaching and working with youth, Reece has completed the first year of his three-year degree and is a step closer to becoming a qualified primary school teacher.