Fiji’s civil service is moving to centralise approvals for study leave, with a policy requiring all study leave applications to be vetted by the Ministry of Civil Service before approval. The measure, outlined in a July circular, aims to ensure the Government’s Learning and Development Guideline is followed, particularly the provisions under Section 6 on scholarships and study leave.
Acting permanent secretary for Civil Service, Pita Tagicakirewa, stressed that the guideline was developed through rigorous consultations with stakeholders and that monitoring is part of the implementation process. He said the goal is to achieve consistency in governance, human resources practices, and service delivery standards across government, not to replace existing ministry teams. The ministry’s role is to oversee uniform application of study leave across all ministries in line with the Civil Service Regulations endorsed by the Public Service Commission.
Under Circular 09/2025, applications will be referred to the Ministry of Civil Service, while the respective ministries remain the approving authorities. This structure, Tagicakirewa noted, is designed to ensure uniform enforcement of Section 6 of the Learning and Development Guidelines.
Officials expect the move to deliver improvements and efficiencies by promoting consistency in implementation and aligning training with the government’s scarce-skills priorities. The ministry is coordinating with other agencies to prevent overlaps or conflicts through centralised procedures, delivering training via the Fiji Learning Institute for Public Service (FLIPS), and providing ongoing monitoring and advisory support.
Tagicakirewa highlighted that the guidelines were built after comprehensive consultations with all stakeholders. The success of the initiative will be assessed through targeted training support, evaluation of core-skills programs, coordination to address scarce skills, and workplace performance assessments. These mechanisms will help monitor efficiency, workforce capacity, and the overall quality of public service delivery across the sector.
Context from broader reform efforts shows Fiji is pursuing a series of civil-service improvements aimed at boosting efficiency and governance. Recent government actions have included establishing the Fiji Learning Institute for Public Service to strengthen professional development for tens of thousands of public servants, with emphasis on leadership, ethics, project management, and digital capability. The reforms are part of a wider push to modernize the civil service, improve service delivery, and reinforce public trust, including planned salary initiatives and ongoing reviews to address capacity gaps and overlaps across ministries.
Summary: The new policy to centralise study-leave vetting reflects Fiji’s broader drive to standardise HR practices, strengthen governance, and link training to national priorities, supported by centralized training through FLIPS and reinforced by ongoing modernization efforts across the civil service. The move is presented as a step toward more consistent, efficient service delivery, with clear metrics to measure impact and capacity growth.
Commentary and outlook: If implemented effectively, the policy could reduce inconsistencies in study-leave approvals and ensure that learning opportunities align with scarce-skills needs. It also signals continued government investment in public service development and a prudent approach to reform, balancing central oversight with ministry-level ownership. The emphasis on monitoring and advisory support suggests a proactive path toward strengthening accountability and performance across the civil service.
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