Calls made for qualified full-time counselors in schools as students miss classes due to teacher shortage

We need to provide quality to our students and only then they will give quality but if we give them rubbish, they will also produce rubbish.

This has been highlighted by William Cross College teacher and counselor Uate Vakaloloma who is calling on the Ministry of Education to have full-time and qualified counselors for all schools, especially high schools.

While speaking during a public consultation on the review of the Education Act 1966 at the Fiji National University, Vakaloloma says they are trying to elevate students learning but they must never forget that there are underlying issues that need to be addressed.

He says they acknowledge the work done by the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council, but one mentor has to cover six or more schools.

Vakaloloma says most of the students who have been victims of social illnesses have ended up in smaller schools like theirs because they do not have quality marks to be in prominent schools.

School Head Girl, Edna Doboi says they have been waiting for a Vosa Vaka Viti teacher since Term 1 and Vakaloloma has been trying his best to be a counselor and a Vosa Vaka Viti teacher.

She says sometimes students taking Vosa Vaka Viti miss their classes because Vakaloloma is attending to counselling duties.

Doboi is also recommending that all staff transfers be carried out at the end of the academic year to avoid disruption to students' learning as mid-year transfers often result in teacher shortages and gaps in subject coverage.

She says in cases where transfers are unavoidable during the year, they request that replacement teachers be appointed promptly to ensure minimal interruption to teaching and learning.