Minister for Education Premila Kumar says the quality of teachers from all teacher training institutions in the country has not been up to standard and a degree in teacher training will no longer guarantee a student a teaching job.
While speaking at the Fiji National University, Kumar says most students think that once they get a degree they will get a teaching job because the number of teachers being employed is very big but adds that there are certain areas within teaching which is flooded with graduates.
She has questioned whether institutions are getting the right students in their teacher training programs because she has been told that students who cannot get into any other program opt to become teachers.
Kumar says if this is the case then we are starting at the wrong place.
Kumar says for next year’s Tertiary Scholarships and Loan Scheme awards, government has raised the eligibility criteria for teacher training to 300.
She has asked FNU whether as a teacher training institution they have changed with time to reflect the changes happening in the world.
Kumar has also revealed that we still have a number of teachers who have poor communication skills, both oral and written.
She says English is a medium to reach out to students and communicate with them but unfortunately that is an area that needs a lot more work.
Kumar says she is also concerned about the number and the types of disciplinary cases against teachers coming to the Ministry which makes one wonder if teachers really do know the expectations of their profession.
The Minister also says they continue to get a number of cases of corporal punishment being dished out by some teachers.
