The Shadow Minister for Education, Hem Chand, is urging the Coalition Government to address the ongoing issues at the University of the South Pacific by organizing a special meeting as soon as possible.
Chand warned that unresolved issues could lead to strike actions by staff unions, ultimately disrupting students’ education and impacting the university’s overall quality.
He noted that staff unions have been in conflict with university management for several months. Recent media reports of a secret ballot indicate that a significant number of staff are unhappy with the institution’s leadership.
Chand highlighted that about 70 percent of the university’s staff are Fijians, and emphasized the importance of the Fijian government’s role, as it provides the largest grant, in ensuring that the welfare and concerns of local staff are presented to the USP council through their representatives.
According to Chand, the well-being of students and staff, as well as the needs of member countries, should be the top priority for the university.
He asserted that the university should concentrate on enhancing the quality of education and research at USP. Furthermore, the Minister for Education confirmed in Parliament last week that the Coalition Government is aware of the concerns expressed by the staff, which include various issues, such as staff terminations.