Education Minister Aseri Radrodro has called on the residents of Naroi Village on Moala Island in Lau to unite as a community to enhance children’s education. During his visit to the village, Mr. Radrodro highlighted the importance of supporting educators, noting that there are approximately 13,000 teachers in primary, secondary, and early childhood education (ECE) schools across Fiji. He pointed out the government’s concern regarding the rising number of school dropouts.
“We encourage both students and teachers to take full advantage of the initiatives and resources provided by the Government,” Mr. Radrodro stated. He emphasized that the Ministry of Education constitutes the largest government ministry and has been allocated a significant share of the budget, as announced by Finance Minister Biman Prasad.
Mr. Radrodro stressed the necessity for teachers to fulfill their responsibilities to ensure children’s education is of high quality. He also urged the wider community—including villagers, parents, village chiefs, law enforcement, and church leaders—to collaborate in supporting children’s educational needs and raise the overall educational standards in Fiji.
He acknowledged the ongoing issue of increasing school dropouts and called for collective efforts to safeguard every child’s education. “The Government has introduced initiatives like the TSLS free loan schemes, and we are looking to expand vocational education training institutions to create more pathways for our children’s education,” he added.
Mr. Radrodro implored everyone, not just those in Moala Island but also others in the regions he has visited and plans to visit, to put the welfare of children first.