Fiji’s Education Crisis: Are We Failing Our Students?

The president of the School Management Association, Govind Singh, has expressed concerns regarding the stagnant pass rates in Fiji’s education system, emphasizing that the decline in academic performance, as highlighted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, is rooted in issues at the primary and early education levels. According to Singh, the current system is not adequately preparing students, leading to a cycle of failure as students transition into secondary school.

Singh pointed out that there is a fundamental problem at the primary level, where the curriculum does not effectively facilitate comprehension and understanding among students. He further stressed the absence of reliable data regarding literacy and numeracy rates, which complicates efforts to understand the scope of the issue. However, he recognizes that the troubling results reflect deeper challenges.

In addition, Singh called for a collaborative effort between the government, stakeholders, and parents to address these problems. He urged parents to take an active role in their children’s education, suggesting they should participate more in their academic progress rather than waiting until after the fact when students face challenges or fail.

Singh’s statements underscore the necessity for urgent reforms in Fiji’s education system, highlighting the importance of focusing on the foundational years to ensure a brighter future for the country’s youth, who are, after all, the future of Fiji.

This situation serves as a reminder of the pivotal role early education plays in shaping students’ academic journeys. As communities rally around improvements in the education sector, there lies a hopeful opportunity for collaboration that could lead to significant progress in enhancing students’ learning experiences and success rates.

Summary: Govind Singh, president of the School Management Association, attributes Fiji’s declining pass rates to failures in the primary education system, urging both government and parental involvement to address the issue and improve academic outcomes for students.