Real change in education is spearheaded by teachers and school leaders, asserted Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad.
During the 130th conference of the Fiji Principals’ Association held in Labasa on Wednesday, he emphasized the need for an agile, innovative, and self-correcting education system to address the rapidly changing demands of society.
He remarked, “Clunky approaches of the past will not serve us well into the future.” He acknowledged that many jobs for which students are currently being trained may not exist in a decade or two and could be replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI). In fact, he indicated that some jobs might be supplanted by AI before current students even graduate.
Professor Prasad urged school principals to actively implement reforms and innovations. He stressed that meaningful change at the school level relies on committed and effective leadership. “We need you at the forefront of these developments and ideas to help shape our education system for this new world,” he stated.
He emphasized that without the active involvement of school principals and teachers in realizing these reforms, positive change would be unattainable. One of the key objectives of the National Development Plan 2025-2029 is to enhance the quality of education across all levels to align with the evolving labor market demands.