Transcript
Women's rights advocate 'Ofa Guttenbeil-Likiliki is one of those outraged at the letter.
She says the thinking behind it is archaic.
"It takes us right back to the thinking that education is only academic and for girls to remain in that kind of academic lane, sports is just the alternative for boys. It is really just taking us back from all the work we have done so far in trying to achieve and bring forward gender equality in Tonga."
Ms Guttenbeil-Likiliki says culture is being used as an excuse and history is full of strong, brave Tongan women, including female athletes who have been inspirational in recent times, like New Zealand's Teuila Fotu-Moala.
"Teuila, who got the female player of the tournament for the women's rugby league world cup, that story hit Tonga last year and made a lot of people proud. To see these women excelling in sport, I mean, you look at Valerie Adams. This letter from the Ministry of Education has taken us a hundred years backwards."
Tonga's women's sevens coach Hoko Tuivai says she respects traditions and culture but times are changing.
Ms Tuivai says the move will mean some girls miss out on the opportunities that rugby and other sports can provide.
"It's just closing doors, closing all opportunities for women especially leading up to the Pacific Games and Olympics, as we have set our path to work towards the 2020 Olympics and here in Tonga, women's rugby has a bigger chance to reach those international competitions than men."
Hoko Tuivai says sport can also be a unifying factor as illustrated by last year's feats by the national rugby league team which triggered parades and street parties across the country.
The acting CEO of the Ministry of Education Manu 'Akau'ola says concerns about the impact of the recent devastating cyclone are behind the letter.
"Our minister had directed that all government schools, because of the cyclone, [that] they are not going to be involved in any sports during this term because we have already lost enough school time - class time. So his direction is not because we're not supportive of the sporting events, it's just make up the lost time we've lost because of the cyclone."
Manu 'Akau'ola says he'll be checking higher up to see if the letter's instructions are really what the education minister intended.
