The Fijian Teachers Association is recommending that children’s rights must not override parents’ rights, saying teachers are facing an uphill battle in schools.
While making submissions to the Constitutional Review Commission, FTA General Secretary Paula Manumanunitoga stressed that this has also caused teachers to leave the profession and move overseas for better opportunities.
Insert: Paula on children and teachers, 18th May 26
He also recommended the need to stop the recruitment of overseas workers and instead create training opportunities for local people to take on roles that are currently vacant.
Manumanunitoga said they understand that thousands of overseas workers are currently in the country, which he says disadvantages unemployed people in Fiji.
He said the Association recommends that the State create employment opportunities for the unemployed and improve the economy to increase the minimum wage.
Manumanunitoga also said it is the Association’s view that the government should stop recruiting workers from overseas and instead train local young people and school dropouts to fill vacant positions in various industries.
The General Secretary also recommended that all recognition of iTaukei cultural identity and group rights that were removed from the 1970 and 1997 Constitutions be fully restored, and that the Great Council of Chiefs be given full recognition and respect in the amended Constitution.
Manumanunitoga said they also recommend that the GCC have only 14 permanent seats from the provinces, including representatives from other ethnic groups and the Fiji Council of Churches.
The General Secretary further recommended that Permanent Secretaries be given greater freedom to run their ministries while being guided by government policies.
