Fijian Teachers Association General Secretary Paula Manumanunitoga has warned that student behavior is deteriorating and has called on the Government to consider reintroducing corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure.
While speaking during FTA’s 91st Annual Delegates Conference, Manumanunitoga says the general disregard for teachers’ welfare has contributed to severe stress, which in some cases has led to illness and even death.
He says the struggles teachers face in Fiji always makes me emotional, and the hard work they do does not reflect in their wages and working conditions.
Manumanunitoga says gone are the days when teaching was regarded as a noble profession.
As a former teacher himself, Manumanunitoga questioned why teachers are classified as civil servants and argued that the nature of their work is vastly different from that of office-based civil servants, highlighting that teachers—especially those in rural boarding schools—often start work as early as 6am.
He also raised concerns about the lack of improvement in teachers' working conditions and says he has repeatedly brought this issue to the attention of the Minister for Education and according to him, the heavy burden of documentation placed on teachers adds unnecessary stress.
The Fijian Teachers Association’s 91st Annual Delegates Conference will conclude this Friday.
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