Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) recently hosted a high-level visit of members from the Ministry of Education of Tonga. The visit took place at BbP’s Vabukori village Library Learning Centre sponsored by Steamships Trading Company and the Motu Koita Association. Mrs. Ileini Takeifanga (Chief Education Officer, Curriculum Development Unit), Mr. Eddy Fakahua (Education Officer, Assistant Director for the Primary Division), and Mr. Herbert Takeifanga (Director Primary Division) visited as part of their tour to explore Early Childhood Education (ECE) programs in Papua New Guinea. The team stressed that Tonga, as a Pacific Island nation, has made significant strides in improving literacy rates in recent decades. However, there are still areas where illiteracy remains a challenge, particularly in rural or remote regions, and among disadvantaged groups. Tonga, similar to Papua New Guinea uses English as its language of instruction, with a local tongue as the official language. In early education, bilingualism can occasionally provide difficulties, especially for young learners who may find English to be a foreign language. Although the quality of early education has improved, the nation still faces issues similar to PNG, such as inadequate teacher preparation, a lack of resources (such as play equipment and instructional materials), and overcrowded classrooms. The visiting team engaged with the children during their activities, watched a class taught by one of BbP's highly qualified instructors, and learned more about the organization's curriculum, which covers literacy, numeracy, inclusive education, digital learning, and nutrition education. All of this is done as part of the program to get the kids ready for school and increase their chances of performing at a high level for the rest of their lives. The team were greatly inspired by BbP’s program materials and resources and impressed by the school readiness shown by the 5-year-old children, who demonstrated their great reading skills, phonics prowess and classroom discipline. A child's future literacy abilities, general education results, academic accomplishments, and ability to transfer to higher education levels are all influenced by early literacy, according to international research. Both organized and play-based learning are incorporated into BbP's ECE curriculum to keep the kids interested and enjoying their educational journey. Starting strong is crucial because those who fall behind early often fall behind even more as they age. Thanks to the assistance of the Program's sponsors and donor partners, BbP was honored to host the visit and have the chance to highlight the organization's excellent learning environment, which is provided to kids at no cost.