Fiji headteachers push for a salary review as workload grows
More than 700 primary school leaders gathered at the 42nd Fiji Head Teachers Association Conference in Nadi to demand a long-overdue salary review. The association’s president, Johnson Rura, urged that pay structures reflect the increasing complexity and responsibility of leading schools.
Rura argued that it is unjust for salaries to stay stagnant while expectations rise, saying the Ministry of Education must invest in excellence if schools are to deliver. He stressed that the leadership roles of headteachers should be recognised with pay that matches the burden they carry, not treated as a token of appreciation. The current system, he said, is broken and unfair, a problem that disproportionately affects larger schools.
A large primary school can juggle more than 1,000 students and 26 teachers, yet its head can be squeezed into the same salary band as a small secondary school with about 50 students and six teachers. This, Rura noted, is not only unfair but a direct insult to those bearing the heaviest workloads day in and day out. He also pointed out that headteachers are frequently asked to fill in for teachers, often without any backup or safety net.
Rura emphasized that the inequity does not only impact the biggest schools; heads of medium and small schools are also left shouldering the weight of a system that fails to recognise their distinct challenges and contributions.
The call for fair pay comes amid a broader, ongoing debate about teacher compensation in Fiji. Other education groups and unions have highlighted salary disparities, delays in upgrades for teachers who pursue further qualifications, and the challenge of retaining skilled staff in the face of rising living costs. As Fiji moves through budget discussions and policy reviews, voices from the frontline education sector are pressing for concrete steps to address pay and conditions.
What could happen next:
– A formal review of headteacher job descriptions, with consideration for including supervisory roles in early childhood education and stand-alone ECE centers, alongside appropriate compensation.
– Reclassification safeguards to ensure salary bands aren’t reduced after changes take effect, and clearer pathways for rural allowances and other location-based pay.
– Timely processing of salary upgrades tied to qualifications, to prevent further erosion of morale and to help retain experienced leaders.
– Ongoing dialogue between the Fiji Head Teachers Association, other teacher unions, and the government, with transparency on budget implications.
There is cautious optimism that sustained discussions between educators and policymakers could yield a fairer, more equitable pay framework that recognises the critical leadership role of headteachers and strengthens the overall quality of Fiji’s education system. By aligning compensation with responsibility and workload, Fiji can support its schools, improve retention, and help ensure brighter outcomes for students.
Summary: Fiji’s primary school headteachers at the 42nd conference are pushing for a salary review to reflect the heavy workload and leadership responsibilities, highlighting inequities that affect large, medium, and small schools alike. The move ties into a wider national conversation about fair pay, retention, and reforms in Fiji’s education sector.
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