Teachers who have recently upgraded their qualifications have expressed frustration regarding the delay in their salary increases from the Ministry of Education. Several educators reported that they have not yet received the pay upgrades that were promised to those who completed their studies.
One teacher from the Western Division, who wished to remain anonymous, highlighted her situation. Having worked as a secondary school teacher for over 20 years and personally financing her degree, she graduated in April but is still earning an annual salary of $22,000. According to her, the salary was supposed to increase to $28,000 following her graduation.
Another teacher, who graduated last year, also reported waiting for her salary upgrade. “New graduates entering the profession are starting with $28,000. We have been teaching for more than 20 years and have not seen an increase after upgrading our qualifications,” she stated.
Muniappa Goundar, General Secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union (FTU), said the organization has repeatedly advocated for the proper payment of graduate salaries owed to around 200 teachers who remain on Band D despite completing their credentials. He noted that despite prior assurances regarding the 2024/25 National Budget, it appears no financial allocation has been made for this necessary expenditure.
“It has come to our attention that the finance team at the Ministry of Education failed to submit the essential requests to the Ministry of Finance, which has left many committed teachers in difficult financial situations,” Mr. Goundar added.
The union has also received reports of former teachers returning after resigning and being re-employed under probation for six months. These teachers are reportedly placed in Band D instead of being assigned to Band F upon completing their probation.
This ongoing delay is placing significant strain on these educators and their families, who depend on adequate salaries to cover living expenses.
The FTU is urging the ministry to prioritize the allocation of necessary funds within the budget to resolve these issues. They assert that teachers who have pursued further education and those returning to serve deserve timely and fair compensation for their skills and dedication, as delays in payments undermine morale and negatively impact the quality of education.
The union emphasizes that immediate action is needed to secure the funds for overdue payments, stating that teachers deserve prompt and equitable treatment for their vital contributions to education in Fiji. There were no comments available from the ministry by the time of publication.