Education Minister Premila Kumar has highlighted that the Government has invested about $18.5 million annually in Early Childhood Education for about 17,000 students as part of its commitment to ensuring early learners have a quality educational foundation.
While speaking at the Fiji Early Childhood Education Sub-sector Diagnostic Analysis and Planning Workshop, Kumar says ECE enrollment for the past 10 years has increased as a result of the government and stakeholders' support.
She says the low number of enrollment in past years was due to parents paying for ECE classes.
The Minister adds the salary grant for ECE teachers has also increased from around $357,000 in 2002 to $16 million in 2022.
Kumar also reminded teachers, Head Teachers and education stakeholders that building a strong foundation for a child is very important because it will enable a child to do well in primary or even upper primary or secondary school.
