Fiji advances National Curriculum Review to modernize education, boost civic values and digital readiness

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Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told Parliament this week that the government is pressing ahead with wide-ranging education reforms, placing a fresh spotlight on a National Curriculum Review that officials say will bring school learning into step with the realities of a diverse and digitally connected Fiji. Rabuka reaffirmed the administration’s view that “education is the cornerstone of Fiji’s development,” and said the review will prioritise civic values, multicultural understanding, national identity and social cohesion.

Speaking in response to concerns raised by several MPs about curriculum changes, teacher pay and the deployment of staff across the islands, Rabuka said the Ministry of Education is conducting the National Curriculum Review to deepen students’ appreciation for Fiji’s cultural diversity and better equip them for contemporary life. He also indicated the government remains committed to measures aimed at modernising the curriculum while improving teacher welfare and safety.

The announcement provides the clearest public outline yet of the review’s educational priorities. Officials say strengthening instruction on civic values and national identity is intended to nurture social cohesion, while bolstering multicultural understanding is aimed at reflecting Fiji’s ethnic and cultural mix within classrooms. The reference to a “digitally connected” society signals an intent to align learning with technological shifts, although the Ministry has not yet released a timetable or detailed plan for implementation.

Rabuka’s statement comes amid broader government activity in the education sector. In February the Higher Education Commission Fiji appointed a new chair to focus on higher education and technical and vocational training, and the Attorney-General’s Office has flagged reviews of several laws tied to public services and education. Civil society groups and educators have meanwhile urged that reforms go beyond curriculum content to address access, cost pressures on families and the adequacy of teaching support on the ground.

Several MPs had pressed the government in Parliament over teacher remuneration and the logistics of deploying teachers to rural and outer-island schools — issues Rabuka acknowledged in his remarks. The prime minister’s pledge to enhance teacher welfare and safety adds to calls from unions and parent groups for concrete steps on pay, housing, transport and occupational safety so teachers can be retained and supported in often challenging postings.

While the review’s objectives are now clearer, key questions remain: how the Ministry will consult schools, teachers and communities; what specific curriculum changes will look like at different grade levels; and how proposed improvements to teacher welfare and safety will be funded and rolled out. The government has not provided dates for public consultations or for release of draft curriculum materials.

For now, the National Curriculum Review marks the latest development in a broader education reform agenda that officials say must respond to social change and economic pressures. How quickly and comprehensively the review translates into classroom practice — and whether it addresses the structural issues that families and educators continue to raise — will be watched closely by school communities and policymakers alike.