iTaukei children in rural communities are falling behind at alarming rates, with nearly 30 percent failing Year 8 examinations and around 20 percent dropping out by Year 12.
This was highlighted by Iosefo Volau, Chair of the Education Committee of the Great Council of Chiefs, to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights during the review of the Education Bill, saying the situation is particularly severe for rural children and boys.
Volau says dropout rates between Years 8 and 12 stand at 31 percent for boys compared to 9 percent for girls, while 9 percent of rural children drop out after Year 8, versus 6 percent in urban areas.
Volau says performance disparities are stark, with 18 percent more girls and 10 percent more urban children passing Year 8 compared to boys and rural peers, indicating systemic inequities in access, support, and learning outcomes.
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He is also urging the Education Bill to include the Great Council of Chiefs and Vanua structures in formal decision-making processes, arguing that these institutions are central to iTaukei identity and vital for supporting rural and community-based schools.
