The Fijian Teachers Association (FTA) is urging the Education Ministry to make addressing teacher shortages and salary increases a top priority. FTA general secretary Paula Manumanunitoga expressed strong opposition to the regularisation process advocated by the Education Ministry’s permanent secretary, questioning the failure to advertise vacant positions.
“What is so difficult about advertising positions?” he asked. He noted that the FTA has received numerous complaints from teachers and school support staff about acting appointments, contract issues, and shortages of teachers, along with concerns over salary upgrades.
He emphasized the need for urgent action: “Why are these issues still present when solutions are known? It is not difficult to resolve them if there is a clear plan to address the problems.” He stressed that once a position becomes vacant, the appropriate procedures must be followed to fill those roles swiftly.
In response, Education Ministry permanent secretary Selina Kuruleca stated that all human resource positions, including advertising and recruitment, adhere to established processes mandated by the ministry’s human resource policies and those of the Ministry of Civil Service. “Regularisation has been completed according to MCS policies and directives, which were established earlier this year in March,” she said, adding that all sectors of the civil service, including the Ministry of Education, must follow these guidelines.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro also highlighted the importance of adhering to established processes to ensure the recruitment of qualified and capable teachers. He acknowledged the shortages of teachers in critical areas such as STEM subjects, primary education, and computer classes, noting that these challenges are longstanding and continue to be addressed carefully by implementing suitable procedures to identify and hire the right individuals.