During the annual general meeting of the Fijian Teachers Association held yesterday at the FTA hall in Suva, a participant from Lautoka highlighted the need for fair wages for child protection officers. The individual pointed out that these officers, who are tasked with the same teaching responsibilities as regular educators, also provide additional counseling support.
“The child protection officer handles the same teaching load as a typical teacher, but they do extra counseling with other teachers,” she noted, emphasizing the lack of appropriate compensation for their efforts.
She mentioned that child protection officers are frequently appointed by the Department of Social Welfare and highlighted the importance of aligning various policies across different government ministries to support their work more effectively.
The participant also called for a reduction in the workload of child protection officers working in both primary and secondary schools to ensure they can fulfill their roles without being overwhelmed.
In addition to discussions about child protection officers, the AGM also covered financial reports and issues related to working conditions and requests for salary increases.