Fiji gets $33M from Australia to improve education infrastructure

Fiji’s commitment to improve education infrastructure has received a boost as Australia will be providing $33 million for the Fiji Social Infrastructure Program.

While speaking at the launch of the program at the Jagindra Singh Primary School in Tamavua, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad says the program will build on the findings of a comprehensive infrastructure audit that is currently underway.

He says the audit is assessing 86 schools in Suva and Nausori to identify critical challenges such as classroom overcrowding and priority maintenance needs.

The Deputy Prime Minister says the infrastructure audit will map out the infrastructure needs at a vast number of schools and by having this evidence base, they will be better equipped to make prioritised decisions about support that benefit as many children in Fiji as possible.

Professor Prasad says in total, the Fiji Government has received over $450 million from the Australian Government through their Budget Support programme and in this financial year, they received around $87 million budget support grant which was contingent to the completion of various agreed policy reforms. The Deputy Prime Minister also acknowledged the Australian Government for the provision of approximately $56 million grant funding support for the Fiji Cyclone Disaster Recovery Program which was directed towards the rehabilitation of 9 schools and 2 health centres in the rural and maritime areas.

He says all 9 schools are nearing completion, and the next phase of the program is currently underway which is the rehabilitation of Taveuni and Kadavu Health Centres.

Professor Prasad says the nine schools are Lekutu Secondary School, Lekutu District School, Nukubolu Primary School, Maramarua District School, Dreketi District School, Bua District School, Dama District School, Wailevu West District School, and Ratu Luke Memorial School.

At the launch event, Fiji and Australia also took the opportunity to recognise 26 students from Jagindra Singh Primary School, who were presented with an inaugural Vuvale Award for making a positive impact on the school community.