Education Minister Aseri Radrodro has set a seven-day deadline for deregistered teachers to resolve their registration issues with the Fiji Teachers Registration Authority (FTRA). This decision comes after it was revealed that 64 teachers were found to be teaching without valid licenses. The FTRA had previously deregistered these educators earlier this year due to their failure to renew their licenses.
Minister Radrodro has stated that the Ministry’s human resources department is actively working to assist the affected teachers in completing their registration before the deadline. He expressed concern over the timing of this issue, noting that it arises in the middle of the school term. “Our HR department is taking necessary steps to remind those teachers to sort out their outstanding registration issues with FTRA, and hopefully that should be finalized within seven days,” he remarked.
Criticizing the FTRA for not notifying the teachers of their deregistration before their licenses expired, Radrodro indicated that this oversight has contributed to existing teacher shortages, prompting the ministry to deploy supplementary teachers to various schools to fill the gap. Furthermore, he highlighted that out of 973 registered teachers, only 251 have received their official FTRA ID cards, underlining ongoing registration challenges.
In discussions regarding the hiring of retired teachers, Radrodro clarified that only those under 60 years old would be considered for reemployment, especially in critical areas like STEM subjects and special education. He mentioned that the ministry is contemplating the possibility of expanding these hiring criteria to include primary school teachers.
These developments reflect broader efforts within Fiji’s educational landscape to address teacher shortages and maintain quality standards of education. The FTRA’s recent actions, such as registering nearly 900 new teachers to mitigate shortages, align with Radrodro’s commitment to improving the quality of education in the nation. The recent focus on teacher registration and retention strategies signals hope for a more robust education system that prioritizes qualified educators and responsive regulatory practices.
Overall, the collaborative efforts between the FTRA and the Ministry of Education highlight a proactive approach to tackle the challenges beset upon the education sector, fostering an environment where both teachers and students can thrive.
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