The High Court has made orders preventing the Trustees of the Vatuvonu Adventist College from shutting down the school without the sanction of the Permanent Secretary for Education.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education says from 2014 until 2019, Fijian taxpayers have funded 1.84 million dollars to the College to cover school fees for students, meals for students, salaries for teachers, textbooks, capital works and other essential educational expenditures.
The Ministry says the College trustee’s decision to charge a fee, financially burdening communities that once received the same education and services for free, is not within their legal authority.
They say it is important to note that the College is the only school in the area for many students to conveniently attend, and over half of the student population are not members of the SDA Church.
The Ministry says a number of allegations have also been raised of mismanagement and abuse of funds against the College trustees or their agents.
They confirm that these allegations are currently under investigation.
The Ministry stated that given the current investigations, the High Court has further ordered that the management of the College be given over to the Ministry of Education in the interim.
The Ministry of Education has stressed that they repeatedly informed the trustees of the College of their constitutional right to carry out faith instruction for their students.
They say that they have consulted the school management directly to protect the interests of students while also preventing discrimination on the basis of religion, or otherwise, with respect to Ministry appointments and tax‑payer funded activities.
The Ministry says the College trustees have instead attempted to shut down the school until 20 May 2019, after which families would be forced to pay school fees to continue their children’s education.
They say the High Court’s ruling restricts the College trustees from preventing students from attending school at the start of Term 2 or from refusing the appointment of teachers and school heads on the basis of merit.
The Ministry has been made aware of a petition by families served by the College who have stressed their inability to pay school fees for the education of their children.
The Ministry of Education says the High Court ruling ensures that education will remain free at the Vatuvonu Adventist College.
They say students will not pay fees this week, nor will they pay fees when they return to school at the start of Term 2 but will continue to have meals provided throughout the school day.
The Court also ruled that teachers and School Heads will continue to be appointed on the basis of their proven ability to educate students and run schools effectively and the constitutional right of the SDA Church to continue with faith instruction at the College will be upheld.
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