The general secretary of the Fijian Teachers Association, Paula Manumanunitoga, has highlighted a troubling issue: some primary students are entering secondary school without the ability to read. Manumanunitoga brought this concern to light during the association’s annual general meeting in Suva, where he addressed the declining literacy rates among students transitioning from primary to secondary education.
He noted that secondary school teachers have expressed frustrations regarding the reading abilities of their new students. “It’s embarrassing. Primary teachers need to be urged to work harder on improving literacy levels,” he stated, referencing discussions with the education minister.
Manumanunitoga also pointed out that an over-reliance on artificial intelligence could be part of the problem. He commented on how advanced IT systems assist teachers and that students often rely too much on these technologies, which may hinder their ability to think for themselves.
He remarked that the literacy and numeracy rates in Fiji were significantly better before the FijiFirst government took office. “Before the previous government, Fiji had the highest literacy and numeracy rates in the Pacific. After 16 years, we have fallen to sixth or seventh place,” he said, noting that countries such as Tonga, Samoa, and Vanuatu have surpassed Fiji in these areas.
Manumanunitoga reminisced about past disciplinary practices that encouraged students to maintain good grades, recalling how teachers enforced strict measures such as making students stand on their chairs or desks, or perform physical exercises as reprimands. He indicated that such practices are no longer permissible in the current education system.