School dropouts are contributing to rising unemployment rates and are driving many young individuals towards drug trafficking and illegal drug cultivation. This concern was highlighted by Vani Catanasiga, executive director of the Fiji Council of Social Services, during a workshop conducted by the Asia Foundation and the Pacific Island News Association.
Catanasiga noted that in various rural farming communities, limited educational resources lead to higher dropout rates among students. She explained that in these areas, the combination of high school dropout rates and unemployment pushes youth to support their family farms.
Furthermore, she pointed out that the lack of educational opportunities, paired with scarce job prospects, creates a difficult environment for the youth. Some young people, she said, are progressing from drug use to drug trafficking as they engage in cultivating land for drug production.
Catanasiga emphasized the need for a collective effort across all sectors of society to effectively address this pressing issue.
In response, Selina Kuruleca, the permanent secretary for Education, stated that they would gather more information from Catanasiga concerning these issues. She mentioned that they would verify the information before providing any additional comments to the media.