Talks underway for PS Education to be Chair of FSSRU

Permanent Secretary for Education Meli Nacuva confirms that consultation is in progress for the Permanent Secretary for Education to become the chair of the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Union

Nacuva says the intention is to ensure the voice of the Ministry, especially the teachers and children who participate in the sports, is heard and factored into the conducting of all sporting activities in the schools.

He says sporting events consume the Ministry's resources.

He adds from the Free Education Grant, students as players who commit time not only to events but in preparations, teachers as game and team officials who prepare these students, using school facilities and these resources require proper allocation so that the academic outcomes are not negatively affected.

The Education Permanent Secretary says the Ministry needs this representation to ensure proper visibility on the sporting and academic spectrum to ensure holistic development for the child.

When asked if the decision to move the PS to FSSRU chairman was made by the Minister for Education, Nacuva says it was not as this was not a unilateral decision.

He says the Ministry is conducting its review, and the Education Act Review is underway, and so is the Education System Review.

Nacuva says PEMAC is an important component of development for a child in the Education System, and it needs proper integration.

He adds that resourcing in terms of funding, time, and personnel is always going to be an issue as they will never have enough of it.

The Permanent Secretary says it is key that sporting bodies with the Ministry are able to work together to be more effective in ensuring holistic education.

He says they have analysed the school's performance over the years and have seen the need to improve student and teacher performances.

He also says the Ministry is looking at all sporting bodies but will begin with sporting bodies that need high resource commitment from the Ministry through its teachers and students.

Nacuva adds that the teachers also are employees of the Ministry and report to the Permanent Secretary.

The Permanent Secretary says this is not political interference because the MOE has a duty of care to all its students, teachers, parents, guardians, and stakeholders.

He says extra-curricular activities such as sports, music, art and craft as part of a student's education journey are equally important in a student's academic performance.

He further says their records are seeing the many school dropouts arising out of many students' absenteeism in Term 3.

He adds every school's participation in any event has always been under the written approval of the Permanent Secretary.

Nacuva says the Ministry of Youth and Sports is also conducting the Fiji National Sports Commission Act review as they are looking at transforming the entire sporting landscape in the country, and schools play a major role in this.

He says nothing brings a packed stadium like the Fiji Finals or the Deans Finals.

He also says the community and even the country's enthusiasm seem to fade as we move towards elite competitions in the country.

The Permanent Secretary says the segmentation of spectators and supporters become quite distinct.

He also highlighted that the review is aligned to the Step-Up Oceania 2032, "Step Up Oceania," a concept to prepare the Oceania region for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Nacuva says it is part of a larger effort to create a "Home Games Advantage" for Oceania during the Brisbane 2032 Games.

He says the concept aims to unite stakeholders, build alliances, and create strategic actions to improve performance and prepare Oceania for the Games.