Debate erupted in Parliament yesterday over which form of Hindi should be taught in Fijian schools after the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights received submissions from the Education Commission as part of its examination of the Education Bill. The exchange sharpened long-running questions about language, identity and constitutional obligations in Fiji’s multicultural classroom.
Education Commission member Arvind Maharaj told the committee the education system should teach Sanskrit-based Hindi rather than Fiji Hindi, a recommendation that drew immediate scrutiny from committee members. Maharaj argued for a more standardized, Sanskrit-rooted form of the language in the classroom, saying it would align with formal language instruction — a position that members said needed to be balanced against broader social and constitutional considerations.
Committee member Faiyaz Koya pressed back, questioning how prioritising a Sanskrit-based curriculum would square with Fiji’s Constitution and the realities of a multicultural society. “How do you balance that against what is required in the Constitution?” Koya asked during the hearing, pointing out that Fiji is home to many races and religions and a range of languages. He warned that elevating one form of Hindi risked overlooking other minority languages, including Chinese, and could undermine inclusivity in the education system.
Koya also emphasised the centrality of Fiji Hindi in everyday life for many Fijians of Indian descent. While acknowledging Fiji Hindi is less formalised than standard Hindi varieties, he said it is widely spoken and recognised and that the Constitution requires students to be conversant in it — a point he said should guide curriculum development. “You need to develop it so that it becomes formalised. That is what is being told to us with respect to the Constitution,” he told the committee.
The hearing highlighted practical differences across schools, Koya added, noting that some religious-based institutions already choose not to teach Hindi at all, while others focus on other languages. That patchwork of offerings, he said, complicates any move to change which variant of Hindi becomes the national classroom standard without broader consultation and curriculum planning, including teacher training and resources.
The committee will continue to consider submissions as it finalises its review of the Education Bill and prepares recommendations for Parliament. The clash over which Hindi to teach brings to the fore wider debates about language policy, minority rights and how the education system should reflect Fiji’s linguistic diversity — issues likely to shape subsequent rounds of consultation and the bill’s eventual form.
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