The Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) has voiced strong concerns regarding the removal of ethnic identity from formal government records, which it argues severely hampers efforts to identify and address the educational challenges faced by the iTaukei community. Chairman of the GCC Education Committee, Iosefo Volau, articulates that the absence of ethnicity-based data complicates the analysis of the educational status of iTaukei students in relation to other ethnic groups, thereby hindering the development of tailored education policies.
Mr. Valou highlighted that relying on “one-size-fits-all” approaches has yielded minimal results for indigenous communities over the years. He asserts that effective educational strategies must be evidence-based and specifically designed to meet the needs of the iTaukei people. Education initiatives, he argues, should encompass participation from families, community leaders, and state institutions to create relevant solutions to persistent issues.
A critical aspect of the conversation is the timing of educational interventions. Mr. Valou emphasizes the importance of starting educational strategies early in a child’s life to ensure maximum effectiveness. He pointed out the concerning trend of lacking ethnic distinctions in data related to public examinations and scholarship applications, which further obscures the unique challenges faced by the iTaukei community.
Without clear and disaggregated data, he warned that policymakers struggle to create targeted interventions, effectively assess outcomes, or measure progress. “When you cannot see the problem clearly, you cannot fix it,” Mr. Valou stated, calling for a necessary reassessment of data collection practices. He insists that recognizing ethnic identity is not about creating division, but rather about fostering fairness, equity, and informed decision-making.
Mr. Valou concluded with a compelling message that targeted solutions necessitate targeted data, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive and effective educational strategies for the iTaukei community. This call for action presents a hopeful prospect for the development of policies that can genuinely address the unique challenges faced by indigenous students in Fiji.
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