Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan

With the dilapidated state of our school infrastructure in the country and the lack of technological advancement and upgrade of the curriculum for holistic learning for our students, Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro has not clarified as yet on whether the free education grants to schools will increase and whether flexibility will be allowed to have school fundraising activities.

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We have to discuss increase in free education grants - Radrodro #fiji #fyp

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While answering questions on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan, the Minister says they still need to have discussions on the proposal to increase the free education grants.

When asked on what is holding the Ministry back from allowing for parents to pay a certain fee as the government cannot be paying for everything, Radrodro confirms that the schools can charge a specific fee but parents should be given time to pay and it should not be conditional to get students in.

An urgent call has been made to the government to seriously look at increasing the free education grants for early childhood, primary and secondary schools, allowing school management committees to charge targeted fees, and allow flexibility to conduct fundraising activities.

Representative of Catholic Education and former Principal, Ben Salacakau and parent, lawyer and representative of Chinese Education Society, Glenis Yee have said their budget submission has been made by Catholic Education, Methodist Church Education, Indian Education Society, Gujerat Education Society, Arya Samaj, TISI Sangam, Rishikul Maha Sabha and the Great Council of Chiefs.

Out of the 916 schools in Fiji, only 13 are government schools.

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Schools can charge specific fees but it should not be conditional – Radrodro #fiji #fyp

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The 13 government schools Delainamasi Government School, Natabua Primary School, Adi Cakobau School, Bucalevu Secondary School, Labasa College, Levuka Public School, Nasinu Secondary School, Natabua High School, Queen Victoria School, Ratu Kadavulevu School, Sila Central High School, Suva Grammar School, and Vunisea Secondary School.

All the rest are community run schools, and they are struggling to cope in providing the best facilities and infrastructure for the students of the country.

Yee says the free education grants are insufficient and for primary schools it equates to less than $1 a day per child.

She says the Australian Infrastructure Assessment Report on the 86 schools assessed in the Suva-Nausori corridor proves the sorely lacking state of the schools where it was stated that 70 percent of the schools were overcrowded, there is a need for an additional 249 classrooms, over half of the schools have structural defects, corrosion, asbestos, and lack of sanitation facilities.

Yee says this is in our major developed area, and can people imagine what is happening in schools in the rural areas.

She says students from Saint Thomas High School are now studying in tents because of termite infestation, and how can students concentrate in these conditions.

Stay with us for developments.

Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro says he believes that teachers are making generalised statements regarding the concerns raised in the West about student absenteeism during the Education Act review consultations.

This was in response to a question raised on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan about the perception that some students are becoming lazy because they know their parents no longer need to pay school fees.

Radrodro says students attend school every day however he had no data when asked to provide evidence.

He says that student enrollment has increased by 5,000 from last year to this year.

The Minister says he does not have concrete data to confirm the full extent of the absenteeism issue.

Radrodro also highlighted that the Ministry has been conducting school visits to address this important issue by emphasising the roles of parents, teachers, and students in ensuring that every child attends school.

Radrodro adds that every stakeholder must remember that it takes a whole village to raise a child, therefore, the Ministry is requesting the support of the Vanua, the community, households, parents, guardians, uncles, aunties, and other stakeholders to ensure students attend school regularly.