Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro has addressed public confusion regarding the Ministry of Education’s finances, clarifying that the actual over-expenditure for the upcoming 2025 financial year is $18.7 million, significantly lower than the $23.8 million figure that has been circulating in public discourse.
Radrodro explained that the inflated figure refers to a proposed funding request aimed at ensuring the Ministry can meet its financial obligations for the 2025 fiscal year, following the need to accommodate several unexpected but essential expenses. He noted, “The actual over-expenditure was $18.7 million,” and added that without strategic redeployment of funds within the Ministry, the over-expenditure would have been as high as $4.4 million.
Highlighting the significance of the Ministry as Fiji’s largest employer, Radrodro mentioned that it employs around 13,800 teaching and non-teaching staff across all divisions, including those serving in remote highland communities and outer islands.
The Minister emphasized that the variance in expenditure is not due to mismanagement but rather essential operational costs. Key contributing factors include $2.3 million allocated for salary upgrades to 296 officers who have completed higher qualifications in line with ministerial standards. Additionally, $3.6 million was used for acting allowances provided to teachers and non-teaching staff temporarily covering roles due to medical, maternity, and study leave, as mandated by Public Service Commission regulations.
Radrodro also pointed out that $0.5 million was spent on hiring 13 school chaplains, as per Cabinet approval, which was not initially budgeted. Furthermore, implementation of the PSC Regularisation Circular 2/2024 introduced significant adjustments, with $7 million allocated for salary step-ups for 4,731 staff members that had been previously funded but were omitted from the current budget.
Other unplanned expenses included $0.2 million for overtime payments to non-teaching staff and an additional $1.1 million for reinstating senior positions that had been phased out under a flatter organizational structure.
The Ministry is currently working on incorporating these costs into future budget proposals and plans to seek Cabinet approval for changes to its approved structure. Radrodro stressed the need for clarity, stating, “There has been a lot of miscommunication and misleading statements in the public domain,” asserting that the politicization of the matter is detrimental to good governance and has a demoralizing effect on the dedicated teachers and staff who strive to keep the education system functioning smoothly. This commitment to transparency and operational integrity sheds a hopeful light on the Ministry’s efforts to address its financial challenges while supporting the educational workforce in Fiji.
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