Education in Tonga is compulsory for children through the end of high school.In 1995, the gross primary enrollment rate was 122.2 percent, and the net primary enrollment rate was 95.3 percent.
On the fourth of July, the Tongans celebrate the King's birthday with the week long Heilala Festival. It coincides with the flowering of the Heilala, Tonga's national flower.
Dance in Tonga has traditionally been an important art form, and this becomes evident during exhibitions of Tongan dancing performed for visitors on the waterfront. The songs and dances describe the legendary exploits of the King's ancestors.