The Shadow Minister for Education, Hem Chand, is urging the Coalition Government to address ongoing issues at the University of the South Pacific by calling a special meeting as soon as possible.
Chand warned that if these matters remain unresolved, staff unions may resort to strikes, disrupting students’ education and affecting the overall quality of learning at the university.
He stated that staff unions have been in conflict with university management for the past few months, with recent secret ballot results indicating significant dissatisfaction among staff regarding the institution’s leadership.
“Approximately 70 percent of the university’s staff are Fijians, and we provide the largest grant to the institution,” Chand emphasized.
He insisted that the Fijian government must prioritize the welfare and concerns of its staff by bringing them to the USP council through appropriate representatives.
Chand reiterated that the well-being of students and staff, as well as the needs of member countries, should be the university’s top priority.
“The primary focus of the university must be to enhance the quality of education and research at USP,” he asserted.
Last week, the Minister for Education confirmed in parliament that the Coalition Government is aware of the concerns raised by the staff, which include several issues, notably the termination of employees.