Fierce debate erupted in Parliament over the performance of the Fiji Teachers Registration Authority (FTRA), with Opposition MP Premila Kumar accusing the body of failing to uphold teacher quality standards, and Education Minister Aseri Radrodro defending the ministry’s efforts to modernise and strengthen the authority’s operations.
Speaking on the Consolidated Review Report on the 2020–2021, 2021–2022, and 2022–2023 FTRA Annual Reports, which revealed ongoing challenges within the institution, including teacher shortages, weak enforcement of registration requirements, and outdated legislation, Kumar, a former Minister for Education, said the FTRA, which she described as the “gatekeeper of teacher quality”, had become an institution struggling to live up to its responsibilities.
Kumar highlighted several critical issues, including the shortage of qualified teachers in key subjects, an oversupply of early childhood education graduates, and the appointment of teachers outside their areas of specialisation.
She also raised concerns that unqualified or partially qualified individuals were being allowed to teach under “limited authority” arrangements, undermining educational standards.
Kumar says the outdated FTRA Act was another major obstacle, arguing that it failed to reflect the realities of modern education, including digital learning, teacher mobility, and overseas recruitment.
In response, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro rejected Kumar’s criticism, claiming it reflected shortcomings from her own tenure as Education Minister.
