Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro has sought to dispel allegations regarding overspending by the Ministry of Education for the 2024–2025 financial year. He characterized the circulating narratives as “misleading” and emphasized the complexities involved in managing Fiji’s largest public-sector workforce.
In response to increasing debate and discussions on social media, Radrodro clarified that the ministry was allocated a budget of $651 million, from which $14.3 million was later redirected by the Ministry of Finance, resulting in an operational budget of $636.7 million. He highlighted that the ministry employs approximately 13,800 teaching and non-teaching staff throughout Fiji, serving a variety of regions from remote highlands to maritime islands.
The confusion regarding the ministry’s expenditures stemmed from the Ministry of Finance seeking Cabinet approval to write off an initially reported overspending of $23.8 million. However, internal assessments revealed that the actual overspend amounted to $18.7 million, primarily arising from unavoidable costs related to human resources and directives from the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Significant expenditures contributing to this overspend included $2.3 million for salary increases for 296 officers, $3.6 million for acting allowances due to temporary replacements, and $4 million for staff regularization per PSC Circular 2/2024. An additional $7 million was allocated for step-up adjustments for 4,731 regularized staff, in addition to overtime payments, senior management reinstatements, and hiring of 13 school chaplains, which are deemed essential for the continuation of ministry operations.
Radrodro acknowledged the staffing challenges faced by the ministry, mentioning over 500 new teacher appointments, rehires following legal issues, and the recent extension of the retirement age to 60. He remarked that the ministry is also dealing with years of inherited deficiencies, poor governance, and underqualified personnel in significant positions.
“Ensuring that teachers are compensated fairly and addressing the sector’s needs can create a buzz, but that is part of the challenge,” he noted, adding that ongoing reforms are yielding positive results, as evidenced by a remarkable 95 percent pass rate for school leavers.
The minister also indicated that a special audit by the Ministry of Finance has been completed, and the ministry is currently awaiting feedback. He expressed gratitude to the Fijian community for their continued support and extended best wishes to students, teachers, and parents for a successful academic year ahead.
Leave a comment