Shocking move : FNU reassigned under PM

The Fiji National University is being reassigned under the Prime Minister's Office Ministerial Portfolio via the Ministry of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics after a verbal instruction by the Prime Minister last Tuesday.

Under the FNU Act, the Minister responsible for FNU is the Minister responsible for tertiary education.

In this case, it is the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro.

This shocking move raises the question why the reassignment has been done despite what the FNU Act says.

There were some complaints against the FNU Vice Chancellor, Unaisi Nabobo-Baba and some staff last year.

The FNU Council chaired by Semesa Karavaki was looking into this, and had taken over the recruitment process of executive appointments from the Vice Chancellor for the time being.

fijivillage News has been informed that Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro was told by Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Peni Sikivou that by the power vested upon the Prime Minister under the Constitution, his verbal instruction, now policy directives issued on the 13th of January is effective.

He says the reassignment is in consideration of the submission made by the Fiji National University to the Prime Minister in which it will benefit the university and the nation in terms of national development and national capacity building through its alignment to 23 ministries.

The finalisation of this ministerial direction is in process in readiness for the next Cabinet meeting.

Acting Prime Minister, Filimoni Vosarogo was expected to meet with the FNU management at 10am today.

However that will not happen today.

The Government will be calling various meetings with the Vice Chancellor and Senior Leadership Team in the transitional period.

Sikivou has said during this transition period, they will have the VC and senior team work with the PM's office via the Permanent Secretary of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics.

Sikivou has also said in a letter to advise FNU Council that they are to put on hold everything until further notice from the Prime Minister.

The FNU Council is not part of the meeting with Vosarogo.

We are currently trying to speak to Prime Minister Rabuka, Acting Prime Minister Vosarogo, Minister for Education Radrodro, and the FNU.

Stay with us for developments.

On the return of the Prime Minister, the legislative change requirement on the reassignment of the Fiji National University to the Prime Minister will be introduced into Cabinet for its approval.

Those are the comments of Acting Prime Minister, Filimoni Vosarogo as he says it is important that the directive on the policy change be conveyed to the FNU Council as majority of the members terms come to an end in February 2026.

Vosarogo says the Prime Minister is the head of government and he is the chairperson of the Fijian Cabinet of Ministers.

He says under the constitution, the Prime Minister appoints ministers and allocates to them responsibilities and portfolios and titles as the Prime Minister determines from time to time.

The Acting Prime Minister says that is his prerogative as he determines the direction of government. Vosarogo says the Prime Minister also carries the powers under the constitution to assign to any Minister or to himself, responsibilities for the conduct of any specified business of government.

He says the Prime Minister can also assign implementation and administration of any laws, and he has indicated his intent to have the responsibility of the FNU assigned to align to the planning and strategic vision of government.

Vosarogo adds the FNU Council has been informed of the reassignment of the functions, operations and management of FNU from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics.

He says the transition from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Strategic Planning is designed to align FNU’s mandate, functions and powers to Fiji’s whole of government planning and national priorities.

He adds FNU is the only university in Fiji and in the region that is a dual sector university.

Vosarogo says it provides higher education and TVET, and this unique feature of FNU needs to be expanded and maximized.

The Acting Prime Minister says it needs to be part of the national planning process, delivering its dual sector functionality in line with our national plans and strategic priorities. He adds whilst FNU under the MOE was necessary in its initiation until now, it was always envisaged that the FNU will grow the capacity to deliver more than just higher education and TVET programs.

Vosarogo says it can both do its functionalities and also address the systemic priorities of government and be part of our nation’s planning.

He adds it is now well-resourced to provide think tank capability within the university that can map the bridge between government, education and society development.

The Acting PM says there is a growing appetite to treat FNU as a strategic policy asset and that will be fully realized if it is close to the centre of government’s planning ministry.

He says the model created with this new direction has had profound impacts in the UK, Australia and Singapore and works in changing global challenges of employment creation, work migration and economic pressure.

However the Chairman of the FNU Council, Semesa Karavaki says the reassignment of FNU to the Prime Minister is like a takeover.

Speaking to fijivillage News, Karavaki says today is a sad day for Fiji's education when the independence of the FNU Council under the FNU Act has been compromised by the so called transition from the Ministry of Education to the Prime Minister's Office.

Karavaki says the FNU Council meeting that is scheduled for this Thursday has been cancelled by the Prime Minister's Office and the Council's Secretariat staff have been directed by the Vice Chancellor, Unaisi Nabobo-Baba not to communicate or facilitate any communication from the FNU Council.

The FNU Council is appointed by the Minister fir Education.

Karavaki says the process of bringing FNU under the PM's Office is a model used by Singapore which worked very well for them.

The FNU Chairman says unfortunately, the way it is implemented by Fiji, is to protect the Vice Chancellor who he alleges has issues at the University.

Karavaki says at the moment and until the FNU Act is amended, the Minister of Education is still the Minister responsible for FNU.

Karavaki says the whole impasse started when he issued a directive on behalf of the FNU Council where the Council is to approve the filling of positions from HOD level and above.

He says this is to address the complaints directed at the Vice Chancellor regarding alleged favouritism and abuse of office.

Karavaki reveals they as the FNU Council are also taking steps to address the bestowment of professorship contrary to the FNU Act.

The FNU Council Chair says they are trying to have an audience with the PM's Office and he hopes good sense prevails and a meeting is called by the PM's Office.

We are currently trying to speak to Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro and FNU Vice Chancellor Nabobo-Baba.

They are yet to respond.