The Fijian Teachers Association (FTA) has branded Education Minister Aseri Radrodro “not fit to lead” and urged fundamental changes to curb political interference in the civil service, telling the Constitution Review Commission this week that the education ministry is in “a big mess” and requires stronger, technically qualified leadership.
FTA general secretary Paula Manumanunitoga used his appearance before the commission to press for a review of Section 127 in Chapter 6 of the 2013 Constitution, which requires ministerial concurrence for the appointment of permanent secretaries. Manumanunitoga argued that the provision allows ministers to exert undue influence over senior public service appointments, undermining the independence of permanent secretaries and restricting their ability to manage portfolios effectively.
“The permanent secretaries must have the total freedom to run their ministry and are guided by policies of the Public Service Commission,” Manumanunitoga said. He told commissioners that political involvement in administrative appointments had compounded leadership problems in the Ministry of Education and left the department in a worse state than under the previous administration.
The FTA’s submission links the perceived governance weaknesses directly to education outcomes, saying that political interference hampers accountability and the implementation of policies. Manumanunitoga urged constitutional amendment to remove the requirement for ministerial concurrence in permanent secretary appointments, arguing that this would safeguard the public service’s neutrality and allow professional managers to run ministries without political pressure.
Alongside constitutional change, the association called for a shift in how ministers are selected, urging that portfolios be matched with relevant professional expertise. Manumanunitoga pointed to the Attorney-General’s Office and the health ministry as examples where technical backgrounds—lawyers for the former and medical professionals for the latter—help deliver more effective oversight. “The education portfolio, in particular, should be led by someone with a background in teaching or academia,” he told the commission, saying sector knowledge was essential for sound policy direction and implementation.
The FTA framed its intervention as a bid to restore confidence in the education system by strengthening institutional arrangements rather than simply replacing personnel. Its recommendations include both legal reform and an administrative culture change that would insulate permanent secretaries from political influence while ensuring ministers can provide policy leadership grounded in relevant experience.
The Constitution Review Commission is gathering submissions from a range of stakeholders as it considers possible amendments to the 2013 Constitution. The FTA’s demand for revisiting Section 127 and reshaping ministerial appointments adds a prominent education-sector voice to a broader national debate about the balance between political leadership and public service independence. Any constitutional change would require further legal and parliamentary processes before it could be implemented.