Pacific Polytech Ltd will receive a $7 million government grant intended to boost skills training and expand technical education opportunities across Fiji, after the funding was cleared following a brief hold for legal review.
The grant was approved in the 2025–2026 National Budget to support Pacific Polytech’s training programmes and upgrade facilities for students pursuing technical and vocational education. Officials say the funding is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the institution to deliver industry-relevant courses that respond to Fiji’s evolving workforce needs.
The payment had been placed on hold while the Higher Education Commission Fiji (HECF) sought legal advice on the institution’s registration. That obstacle has now been resolved and the funding grant signing ceremony was held on Friday at HECF headquarters, witnessed by Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro.
Rokobua Naiyaga, chair of the Higher Education Commission Fiji, used the signing to stress the obligations that come with government support. “As stewards of public resources, you carry the responsibility to manage these funds prudently to enhance student services, maintain industry-standard facilities, and deliver training programmes that respond to the evolving needs of the Fijian economy,” Naiyaga said. She added the commission would maintain a focus on oversight as the money is spent.
Naiyaga also said HECF remained committed to strengthening quality assurance across the tertiary sector. “We do not simply want institutions to exist; we want them to grow, innovate, and compete at both national and regional levels,” she told attendees at the ceremony, signalling an expectation that recipients use the money to lift standards as well as capacity.
Education Ministry and HECF officials indicated the cleared grant marks a step forward in the government’s wider push to bolster technical and vocational education and training (TVET). While officials did not provide a detailed timetable for disbursement or specific project lists at the ceremony, HECF’s emphasis on registration compliance and quality assurance suggests monitoring and reporting conditions will accompany the funding.
With the legal queries resolved and the agreement signed, Pacific Polytech is now formally positioned to begin using the allocated funds to upgrade training delivery. HECF’s involvement and Minister Radrodro’s presence underline the government’s intent to ensure public resources directed at tertiary education are managed transparently and tied to measurable improvements in student services and industry readiness.
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