Dr Palatasa (Tasa) Havea ‘s father repeatedly told him that if he did not get an education he would spend the rest of his life curing copra for a living.
Originally from Vava’u, Dr Palatasa (Tasa) Havea came from a large, poor family.
Dr Havea eventually became the first Tongan to win a doctorate in food technology and is now a senior research scientist with Fonterra.
Now he is using his experience as a poor student to encourage young people to succeed at school.
He said his own difficulties had inspired his work with young people.
“We [Pacific Islanders] don’t always do very well in our education and the Ministry of Education has used me a lot as an example of someone who was really bad at school to help the kids, to see the potential to do well,” he told Stuff.
“We set up programmes to help kids with the literacy and numeracy.
“I think I know how they do well and how they do badly and how to turn them around to become good kids. I try to use my own experience.”
Dr Havea is chair of the Pacific Health Research Committee of the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
He recently stepped down as a member of the advisory board to the Ministry of Pacific Peoples, where he served for 13 years.
Dr Havea’s early years were an educational disaster. He failed grade 10 three times, but after moving to Tongatapu he persuaded another school to let him into the final year after claiming he had completed the school certificate.
With a different set of teachers and a different atmosphere, his grades improved, he won prizes and learned to read and write properly.
After school he joined the Tonga Commodities Board and after studying for two degrees at Massey, joined New Zealand milk producer Fonterra.
A specialist in biotechnology, molecular biology and structural biology, he is a senior research scientist at the Fonterra Research and Development Centre (FRDC).
He took a leading role in research that led to enhanced products that contribute millions to the New Zealand economy.
He is involved in a range of community issues and late last year talked about suicide among teenagers in island communities in New Zealand.
In 2005, he told the Pacific Prosperity Conference that Pacific youth needed role models and mentors, self-discipline and the courage to achieve their dreams.
He is active in his church and sits on the board of International Student Ministries New Zealand.
He and his wife Sesimani have three children.
His daughter, Lueni, became her school’s first Tongan head girl and last year was part of a student team that won the technology prize at the Manawatu Science and Technology Fair.
She also mentors year one to six students in literacy.
The main points
- A Tongan born scientist is using his experience as a poor student to encourage young people to succeed at school.
- Palatasa (Tasa) Havea, who was the first Tongan to win a doctorate in food technology, said his own difficulties had inspired his work with young people.
- Originally from Vava’u, he came from a large, poor family.
- His father repeatedly told him that if he did not get an education he would spend the rest of his life curing copra for a living.
For more information
The scientist who spent three years in Year 10
International Student Ministries New Zealand
