Nearly 2,000 civil servants were trained in the 2022–2023 financial year as part of an intensified push by the Ministry of Civil Service to strengthen accountability, discipline and overall performance across Fiji’s public sector. Deputy Secretary Samuela Moce told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence that the ministry ran 90 training sessions over the year, covering core policies such as open merit recruitment, disciplinary procedures and the government’s performance management framework.
Moce said the programmes have been consolidated under the newly expanded Fiji Learning Institute for Public Service (FLPS), marking a shift toward a more coordinated, institution-led approach to civil service capacity building. “Training remains a priority for the Ministry,” he told the committee, stressing the exercise forms part of a broader government effort to build a “more capable, disciplined and performance-driven civil service.”
Close to 2,000 participants attended sessions delivered in partnership with 19 external agencies, the ministry said. Partner organisations included the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), which provided anti‑corruption training, and the Ministry of Employment, which led employment-related modules. Some civil servants also participated in Australian Awards courses supported by the Australian government, reflecting international cooperation in parts of the training programme.
Atelaite Rokosuka, head of the Fiji Institute for Public Service, said the institute will continue strengthening the capacity of staff across the public service and expanding the reach of courses. Officials highlighted a deliberate focus on bringing training opportunities to civil servants in rural and maritime areas, addressing long-standing gaps in access between urban centres and more remote posts. Course content now includes practical topics such as grievance handling and anti‑bullying policies, which Rokosuka described as integral components of the FLPS capacity‑building offer to “all civil servants.”
The training expansion comes against the backdrop of wider civil service reform efforts. The government has previously signalled plans for a comprehensive functional review to modernise the public sector’s structure and operations; ministry officials say the upscaling of training under FLPS is an immediate, operational step to complement those longer-term reform ambitions. By strengthening recruitment practices, disciplinary mechanisms and performance management, the ministry aims to reduce inefficiencies and improve service delivery while bolstering accountability standards.
Officials told the committee that two priorities now guide the next phase of work: strengthening the substantive content of courses and widening access so more staff — particularly those in remote postings — can attend. The ministry is also increasing collaboration with partner agencies to inject specialised expertise, such as anti‑corruption and employment law, into the curriculum.
The presentation of the 2022–2023 Annual Report to Parliament’s committee marks the latest public update on government efforts to professionalise the civil service. With nearly 2,000 staff trained and institutional capacity building now anchored in the FLPS, the ministry says it will continue to refine course content, scale delivery to hard‑to‑reach areas and deepen partnerships to sustain the push for a performance‑oriented public sector.
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