13 officers have been identified as ghost employees within the Ministry of Education, while the salaries of 134 other officers were stopped after a payroll verification exercise uncovered outstanding permanent appointment documentation.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro says the 13 ghost employees were identified following a verification exercise conducted in response to recommendations from the Auditor-General’s 2024 report.
The report raised concerns about officers who were no longer employed by the Ministry but continued to receive salaries during the 2024 financial year.
Radrodro says the verification of salary payments is an established process and is not a new exercise.
He says it is part of the Ministry’s responsibility to ensure employment records are accurate and public funds are paid only to legitimate employees.
Meanwhile, the 134 officers were affected by the cessation of salary payments in Pay 18/2026 after outstanding permanent appointment documentation was identified during the verification exercise.
The Minister says the affected teachers had already been issued permanent appointment contracts, but their signed contracts were not returned to the Ministry on time for processing and updating of their employment records.
As a result, the relevant information was not reflected in the Fiji Education Management Information System, or FEMIS.
He says the issue was identified during subsequent payroll verification.
The Ministry says the payroll verification exercise is aimed at ensuring the accuracy of its employment records and that salary payments are made only to officers who meet the required employment and documentation requirements.
