Timi Melei | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Education, Youth & Sports | |
| In office 19 September 2019 – 27 February 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Kausea Natano |
| Preceded by | Fauoa Maani |
| Member of Parliament | |
| Assumed office 9 September 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Maatia Toafa |
| Constituency | Nanumea |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
Timi Melei is a Tuvaluan politician.
Melei worked as an officer of the Tuvalu Police Force.[1] He did not attend secondary school as a teenager, but returned at age eighteen to learn English.[1] He later studied at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, graduating in 2016 with a Masters in Criminology.[1]
He was elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu at the 2019 Tuvaluan general election,[2] and appointed Minister for Education, Youth & Sports in the cabinet of Kausea Natano.[3]
During his term as minister the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, launched the Tuvalu Learning Project (TuLEP) to strengthen the quality of education and service delivery for pre-school children. This five-year project, which commenced in 2020, was funded by a grant of US$14 million from the World Bank, with the project including: training of teachers; resourcing of pre-school centers with learning materials, age-appropriate readers and playgroup kits. TuLEP also includes funding for internet connectivity in all outer island schools to facilitate online learning and communications.[4]
He was appointed as a Member of Council of the University of the South Pacific.[5]
He was re-elected in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.[6][7]