The teacher pay increase of seven to 10 per cent is based on the Ministry of Education’s financial capacity. Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro clarified this when addressing teachers’ reactions to their earlier proposal for a 30 per cent pay increase.
Mr. Radrodro mentioned that the pay raise was introduced to enhance teacher morale and will be effective starting today. “We must thank the Coalition Government and the Ministry of Finance for the salary increase.”
The increase will also benefit teachers who previously missed out on the standardization of the pay process. Despite not meeting the initial 30 per cent request, Mr. Radrodro noted that they had received positive feedback from the Fijian Teachers Union and the Fiji Teachers Union.
He emphasized the need for common sense, pointing out that pay increases depend on the Government’s ability to allocate additional funds from its revenue to support the pay rise for teachers. “We are paying an increase based on the capacity we have to pay.”
However, Mr. Radrodro acknowledged the genuine concerns raised by teacher unions regarding the improvement of teacher welfare, especially in rural areas. “We can discuss and review in some other way where teacher welfare can be addressed.” He stressed that teachers should have a conducive environment to teach and reside in during their tenure in a given area.