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Friends of Tonga Launches Innovative Literacy App

Earlier this month, Friends of Tonga launched Tau Laukonga, an exciting pair of Tongan and English reading apps aimed at supporting literacy across both the Kingdom of Tonga and the Tongan diaspora. Each app offers 100+ fun, culturally-relevant books across various difficulty levels, topics, and genres. Moreover, the majority of available books also feature read-along audio narration recorded by native speakers.

Tau Laukonga was developed by current Tonga PCV and Friends of Tonga Officer Andrew Pavey, who currently is serving in the village of Houma, Tongatapu. Pavey decided to develop the project when he noticed his students’ low achievement rates in both English and Tongan literacy.

His on-the-ground experience reflected broader trends across all of Tonga. Despite the fact that English is the country’s official second language, there is a disparity between curriculum expectations and student achievement, especially in rural and outer island communities. According to a 2017 World Bank report, around 70% of Tongan households lack reading materials for children, and in 2019, the pass rate for the Form Six Examination was only 38%. Clearly, wider access to interactive, engaging reading materials was needed to improve these outcomes.

In Tonga, it is widely understood that those who graduate with a strong command of
English will be more likely to succeed in work, family, and civic roles as they grow older.
Likewise, their success in attaining visas to other countries for future education and job opportunities is contingent upon their command of the English language. That’s why strategic partnerships between Peace Corps Volunteers and National Peace Corps Association-affiliated groups like Friends of Tonga can be so impactful. Partnerships like this one create resources and interventions targeting specific needs that can only be addressed by experts embedded into local communities. In this instance, Tau Laukonga gives all families instant access to a free digital library that can be enjoyed even without internet access. The project will help preserve and uplift the Tongan language around the world as well as boost English literacy achievement, especially across rural communities.

The apps, the first of their kind, have already generated significant buzz throughout the international Tongan community and have been featured in numerous news outlets across the South Pacific. Following the launch of Tau Laukonga, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Sinaitakala publicly endorsed the project, stating, “This initiative is one key milestone to children’s development in the era of information technology. ” Just one week after launch, over 1,000 families were enjoying reading in Tongan and English with Tau Laukonga. The app is free and always will be, with future updates planned.

You can download Tau Laukonga for Android: and iPhone.

About Friends of Tonga: FoT was founded in 2018 in response to a devastating cyclone that caused widespread damage across multiple island groups. As an organization, it strives to collaborate with local organizations in meeting the human- developmental, educational, environmental, and disaster response needs throughout the Kingdom of Tonga. It administers Tau Laukonga as a service to Tonga’s people, language, heritage, and future.