The Fijian Teachers Association maintains that 26 teachers are affected by the Acting Heads of Schools issue, despite the Ministry of Education saying that only seven names were discussed during a meeting with teacher unions.
FTA General Secretary Paula Manumanunitoga says the Ministry acknowledged during their meeting that mistakes had been made and should now focus on rectifying the issue rather than disputing the number of affected teachers.
When fijivillage News asked whether the 7 names provided to the Ministry represented the actual number of affected teachers rather than the 26 previously stated, Manumanunitoga maintained that 26 teachers are affected.
He says the Ministry is now trying to defend its position, despite acknowledging during the meeting that mistakes had been made.
He adds that a position becomes vacant when the substantive post holder leaves the position, including through resignation, migration or death, and the Ministry can appoint someone to act while it works to permanently fill the vacancy.
Manumanunitoga says the Ministry should advertise a vacant position within six months and claims some of the affected teachers had remained in acting positions well beyond that period.
He claims some teachers had been acting in their positions for three to four years.
Manumanunitoga says mistakes can happen within the system and the matter should now be dealt with professionally and rectified after being raised by the Association.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary for Education Navin Raj said that the issue relates to 7 teachers and not 26 as reported in the media.
Raj says he met with the General Secretaries of the two teacher unions and the Ministry's Human Resources team, where 7 names were discussed after the information was verified with the FTA General Secretary.
He says acting appointments are not permanent and can be revoked once a substantive post holder is identified to fill a vacant position.
Raj says they also discussed advertising the vacant positions in due course, and he will continue consulting the General Secretaries of the two teacher unions throughout the process.
Meanwhile, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro says the revocation of acting Headteacher appointments in the Suva Education District is an operational matter and the Ministry is reviewing the appointments in consultation with teacher unions.
Insert: Radrodro on 26 Revoke 28th Aug 26
Radrodro says Fiji has more than 730 primary schools requiring Headteacher positions, while there are 190 secondary schools that also require school heads.
He says resignations, transfers, retirements and teachers leaving the service for other opportunities continue to create vacancies that need to be filled.
Radrodro says he has directed the Appointment Secretary to address the vacancies as soon as possible while following the required human resource recruitment process.
