Child protection officers deserve to receive appropriate compensation, according to a participant from Lautoka at the Fijian Teachers Association’s annual general meeting held yesterday at the FTA hall in Knolly St, Suva. The participant highlighted the disparities in treatment faced by child protection officers, who carry a workload comparable to that of teachers but receive little to no pay.
The participant remarked, “Child protection officers have the same teaching load as regular teachers but also engage in additional counseling duties with other teachers. Despite this, they are not compensated accordingly.”
It was noted that child protection officers are often appointed by the Department of Social Welfare, and there are forms to fill out for compliance with the Child Welfare Act. The participant called for better alignment of various policies from other ministries impacting child welfare.
Additionally, the participant emphasized the importance of reducing the workload for child protection officers working in both primary and secondary schools.
The annual general meeting also included a thorough discussion of financial reports and other pertinent issues related to work conditions and requests for salary increases.