A social worker and a former school principal are calling for iTaukei to be taught in all schools, saying constitutional support for language education is key to preserving indigenous culture and strengthening unity between communities.
Gavula Rakuita and Govind Singh made their submissions during the consultation on the Constitution Amendment Bill at Vunimono in Nausori, where they also raised concerns about children's literacy, equal citizenship and the need for a more inclusive society.
Nainoka is calling for iTaukei to be recognised as Fiji's national language, saying indigenous Fijians had accepted the use of the common name Fijian for all citizens.
Insert: Rakuita - You have embraced our language Oct 16
She is also calling for children to learn in their mother tongue during kindergarten and the early years of primary school, particularly Years 1 and 2.
She adds that she is concerned that some children progress through primary school without developing basic reading and communication skills.
She attributes this partly to education policies that prevented students from repeating classes regardless of their reading proficiency, saying children who struggle to read can continue through the school system without receiving the support they need.
She believes these challenges can contribute to children dropping out of school and becoming vulnerable to social problems.
Nainoka also expressed support for corporal punishment, saying some members of her community believe in it because of their religious beliefs.
Meanwhile, Govind Singh, who is also the President of the School Management Association of Fiji, says he has been advocating for iTaukei language education for more than 30 years.
He says teaching iTaukei in schools would give children from other communities the opportunity to understand the language, culture and way of life of indigenous Fijians.
Singh says many Indo-Fijians have not had adequate opportunities to learn iTaukei, making it difficult for them to communicate confidently with indigenous communities and contribute to discussions at provincial council meetings.
He says the Constitution should provide a foundation for policies that ensure iTaukei language education is implemented, warning that the opportunity to improve understanding between communities has been overlooked for too long.
Singh says learning another community's language can open the door to a better understanding of its culture and values.
He is also calling for the Constitution to guarantee equal citizenship, saying no citizen should be considered more or less Fijian because of ancestry, race or colour.
Singh says the Constitution should protect people from racial discrimination and hostility, uphold freedom of religion and belief, respect cultural and linguistic identities, and encourage cooperation between communities and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Singh also raised concerns about the pace of the constitutional reform process, saying the Government should allow sufficient time for public discussion and consideration of the Constitution Review Commission's recommendations.
He says the process of developing the Constitution is as important as the document itself, and people should be given enough time to discuss the proposed changes and help shape a Constitution that reflects their aspirations.
