The increasing number of school dropouts has prompted Muniappa Gounder, general secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union (FTU), to call for a review of the school curriculum by the Ministry of Education. Gounder emphasized that today’s children quickly lose interest in their studies, highlighting the need for a more engaging curriculum that resonates with students.
Gounder remarked, “Children are losing interest in school daily,” and stressed that the curriculum must be relevant and locally focused. Education Minister Aseri Radrodro recently disclosed that from 2019 to 2023, a total of 5,726 students dropped out before completing Year 10. While specific reasons for these dropouts were not documented, common factors mentioned include death, migration, transferring from public to private schools, and medical issues.
He expressed concern that curricula based on overseas standards could alienate local students, causing them to disengage. Gounder noted that some schools have begun incorporating digital learning, aligning with the fact that children today are digital natives, asserting that this approach could be beneficial.
He explained that students desire an engaging school experience, and teaching methods should capture their interest to mitigate increasing absenteeism. Gounder also suggested that government support for families may diminish motivation for education.
He argued that when parents do not feel the financial burden of education, they may neglect their responsibilities. “In our time, our parents made sacrifices for our education, which motivated us to work hard in return,” Gounder recalled, contrasting it with the perceived complacency of today’s parents. He concluded that a lack of commitment from parents could be partly responsible for children’s disengagement in their schooling.
Leave a comment