During the Fijian Teachers Association annual general meeting held at the FTA hall in Suva, a participant from Lautoka emphasized the need for fair compensation for child protection officers. The participant highlighted the issue of unequal treatment, noting that these officers carry the same teaching workload as regular teachers but do not receive proper pay.
The participant pointed out that child protection officers not only fulfill regular teaching responsibilities but also provide additional counseling to other educators. “They handle the same load as regular teachers, yet are not compensated,” she stated.
Furthermore, she mentioned that child protection officers are typically chosen by the Department of Social Welfare and referenced the necessity of aligning various policies from other government ministries that affect their roles.
Additionally, she called for a reduction in the workload of child protection officers working in both primary and secondary schools. The meeting also covered financial reports and other topics related to work conditions and requests for salary increases.