The Western Tomoko Under-14 (boys and girls) team were given a rare opportunity to learn about online safety, emerging cyber threats and social media use during its recent Honiara tour.
The team has been in Honiara participating in the 2024 Solomon Power Iumi Play Under-14 Championship that ended on 20 September.
The team’s male side reached the semi-final but failed to get the bronze. Central Islands U14 won the game to claim bronze. The female Western Tomoko U14 was however named the Fair Play Team of the championship.
Aside from the championship, the Western Tomoko Team received a Cyber Security Awareness while on camp in Honiara.
The awareness was organised by the Ministry of Communications and Aviation (MCA), Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and the RSIPF & AFP Policing Partnership Program (RAPPP).
The interactive session has equipped the young athletes with essential knowledge to navigate the digital world safely.
Tomoko Team U14 Coach, Gerhard Paia, said he hope to see this kind of awareness reaching out to the provinces.
Paia said many children in the provinces have little knowledge of the good and bad things on social media.
“Nowadays, social media has given rise to many issues like cyber-bulling,” the Tomoko U14 coach said.
He said the awareness which the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) of the MCA, National Crime Prevention Department (NCPD) of the RSIPF and RAPPP delivered to them has taught them many things about social media.
Coach Paia also thanked RAPPP for its support to their team.
RAPPP gifted t-shirts, water bottles, caps and balls to the team after the awareness.
RAPPP advisor, Kevin Shaw, said education is the most important support we can provide to the community, particularly children to help keep them safe whilst online.
He said it takes time for young people to understand and adopt safe habits whilst online and using social media.
“Threats of blackmail, bullying and targeting of vulnerable members of our community are serious threats, and is a growing issue for Solomon Islanders,” Kevin said.
He said RAPPP and the RSIPF’s NCPD in collaboration with the MCA are providing the schools and community members with important information to counter these threats.
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-RSIPF
