Labelling teachers as unqualified and threatening to replace them is derogatory and insulting - Prof Prasad

National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad says labelling teachers as unqualified and threatening to replace them is not only derogatory and insulting but a bane of education.

This is following comments by the Minister for Education Premila Kumar and Permanent Secretary Doctor Anjeela Jokhan that they are looking at replacing some unqualified teachers with qualified teachers.

In a statement, Professor Prasad says it was stupidity of the highest order to think that only teachers with Bachelor of Education Degrees would bring credibility to the education system.

He says it is insane to even suggest that a new graduate with only degree qualifications can do a better job than a fully trained teacher with certificate or diploma who has many years of experience in teaching.

Professor Prasad says he is absolutely sure that like him and several thousands of others, the minister and her permanent secretary have been nurtured by vastly experienced teachers with certificate or diploma qualifications.

The NFP Leader has questioned whether this means that their education and learning was compromised just because degree holders did not teach them in schools.

Professor Prasad adds this is insulting, derogatory and a display of contempt against not only hard working teachers but their students and parents.

He says since independence all governments have encouraged and supported professional development and skills upgrade of teachers as well as providing security to their employment but the unfortunate exception has been the FijiFirst governments who have ridiculed, undermined and even trashed every aspect of the noble profession of teaching including forcing them into contractual employment.

Professor Prasad says this has resulted in the exodus of experienced teachers through premature retirement as well as migration to take up lucrative job opportunities.

He says it even resulted in a teacher shortage a couple of years ago with the then Minister confirming that senior students were given responsibility for taking classes in some subjects in secondary schools.

Permanent Secretary for Education, Doctor Anjeela Jokhan had said the Ministry is in the process of recruiting teachers for early childhood education, primary and secondary schools and is also using this opportunity to replace some unqualified teachers with qualified teachers.

Jokhan says the recruitment will continue until they have all teachers in place and they know this will improve teaching in schools.

She says the Teacher Remuneration Policy of 2018 describes a fully qualified teacher as one having a Bachelors in Education Degree at the appropriate level, including early childhood education, special and inclusive education, primary and secondary.

Jokhan adds a person with the relevant Diploma in Education is appointed as assistant teacher and therefore they have a mixture of teachers in these categories.

She says the Ministry would like to appoint more teachers with degrees to better resource its schools.

We have also sent questions to the Minister for Education Premila Kumar regarding the concerns raised by Prasad and are awaiting her response