Teachers who have recently upgraded their qualifications are expressing frustration over the Ministry of Education’s delay in implementing promised salary increases. Several educators shared that they have yet to see the wage enhancements that were assured to those who furthered their education.
One teacher in the Western Division, who wished to remain anonymous, has over 20 years of experience and funded her own degree. Although she graduated in April, she continues to earn an annual salary of $22,000, despite an expected adjustment to $28,000 following her graduation. Another teacher who completed her degree last year also reported that she is still awaiting her salary upgrade.
“New graduates entering the profession are starting with $28,000, while we have been teaching for over 20 years without any increase after upgrading our qualifications,” she lamented.
Muniappa Goundar, the general secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union (FTU), highlighted their ongoing efforts to secure rightful salary adjustments for around 200 teachers who have completed their studies but remain on Band D. Goundar noted that despite prior assurances related to the 2024/25 National Budget, no funding has been allocated for these salary upgrades in the current financial year.
Investigations revealed that the Ministry of Education’s finance team did not submit the necessary requests to the Ministry of Finance for these essential funds, leaving many committed teachers in difficult financial situations. Additionally, reports have surfaced about teachers who, after resigning to migrate, returned and were re-hired on probationary status at Band D, rather than being placed in their rightful Band F positions after probation.
This delay is creating significant hardship for these educators and their families, who depend on adequate salaries to cover living costs. The FTU is urging the ministry to prioritize and allocate the necessary funds to address these issues, asserting that teachers who further their education and those returning to serve the nation deserve timely and fair compensation for their contributions. They warn that postponing these payments undermines teacher morale and threatens the overall quality of education.
The FTU is calling for immediate action from the ministry to ensure the welfare of teachers and their families is prioritized and to make overdue payments a reality. As Goundar emphasized, “Our teachers deserve nothing less than prompt and equitable treatment in recognition of their invaluable contributions to education in Fiji.”
The ministry did not provide any comments before the publication of this article.