What we did💡
On Friday, 26 September 2025, we celebrated a huge milestone – the 41st Anniversary of the Ombudsman’s Office! To mark the occasion, we hosted a special College Outreach Programme with senior students from across Rarotonga.
Why we did it 💡
Young people are the future of our country, and we wanted to give them an early introduction to what the Ombudsman does – helping keep government open, fair, and accountable. The outreach was all about showing students that making a complaint isn’t something negative – it’s actually a positive way to create change and improve services.
Who joined us 🙌
We were so excited to welcome:
Tereora College – 10 students + 1 teacher
Nukutere College – 4 students + 1 teacher
Papaaroa College – 4 students + 1 teacher
In total, 18 students and 3 teachers came along.
We were also honoured to have Hon. Mac Mokoroa, Minister of Education, Justice, Youth and Sports, who shared some inspiring words about the importance of the Ombudsman’s work.
Highlights from the day ✨
A warm welcome from the Ombudsman
Special remarks from Hon. Mac Mokoroa
An interactive session on “Who we are and what we do”
Group activities where students explored how complaints can be a tool for growth
Lots of questions, discussions, and great energy from the students!
What we achieved ✅
Students learned about fairness, transparency, and accountability
Teachers and students gave us great feedback on how relevant the session was
We celebrated 41 years of service in a way that invested in the next generation
This was more than just an anniversary – it was a chance to connect with youth, build awareness, and plant the seeds for a stronger culture of fairness and accountability in the Cook Islands. 🌱
