Opposition lawmaker Hem Chand has expressed his astonishment at Education Minister Aseri Radrodro’s announcement that over 1,000 students have dropped out of primary school in the past five years. During a recent parliamentary session, Chand questioned Radrodro about the Ministry’s efforts to identify students who had to leave school and the plans in place to support these children.
Chand sought clarification on the number of students who dropped out between 2019 and 2023 before completing their primary education and Year 10. He described the statistic of over 1,000 students leaving school before finishing Year 8 as “absolutely shocking,” particularly in light of the free education initiative launched by the Bainimarama government in 2014.
The legislator pointed out that since the introduction of the Free Education Grant a decade ago, the government has invested approximately $650 million in 738 primary schools, 176 secondary schools, and more than 870 early childhood education institutions. He asserted that the grant has alleviated financial pressure on parents, students, teachers, and school management.
Chand emphasized the importance of education for the future of Fiji, stating, “We want to see all of them educated.” He warned that if the current Coalition government does not take significant measures to tackle the dropout crisis, there would likely be an increase in youth crime.
He noted the troubling sight of teenagers, who should be attending school, loitering on the streets of Lautoka City soliciting money. Furthermore, he raised concerns about the growing drug issue, with students reportedly being caught with drugs, including their presence on school grounds.
Chand criticized the Coalition Government’s response as merely planning without substantial action to resolve the dropout problem and its associated challenges.