As the 2025 academic year begins, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has reached out to parents, urging them to play an essential role in instilling discipline and supporting their children’s education. Speaking on the first day of the school term, Rabuka emphasized the impact of parental involvement on academic outcomes and called for a collective responsibility to enhance educational success.

“My message is primarily to parents,” Mr. Rabuka asserted, highlighting the crucial part they play in shaping their children’s futures. He encouraged families to leverage government support and engage actively in their children’s education, stressing the importance of discipline—both in parenting and in how children allocate their time for study.

Research points to a concerning trend in academic performance, particularly reflected in recent Year 8 Examination results, which have underscored the need for improvement in discipline regarding education. Rabuka urged parents to prioritize educational activities and supervise their children’s schoolwork, noting that discipline in time management is essential for better academic achievement.

This message resonates with previous remarks from Education Minister Aseri Radrodro, who has called for increased parental engagement. Radrodro highlighted the decline in student success rates and attributed part of the issue to a lack of oversight and involvement from parents at home, echoing the Prime Minister’s call for collaborative support among families, educators, and the community.

In light of these discussions, a silver lining is evident: the increasing recognition of the need for partnerships among parents, teachers, and community leaders can lead to significant improvements in Fiji’s educational landscape. By fostering a united approach to student responsibility and discipline, there is hopeful potential for enhanced educational outcomes that could pave the way for a brighter future for students across Fiji.