Allegations have emerged against the University of the South Pacific (USP), claiming that the institution is billing students for face-to-face tuition despite conducting classes online. Additionally, there are reports that full-time staff members are being substituted with consultants from India.
Rosalia Fatiaki, general secretary of the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff Association (AUSPS), raised these issues during the fifth day of the ongoing strike at USP. Members of AUSPS and the University Staff and Support Staff Union (USPU) are currently on strike demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia due to accusations of poor leadership and other grievances.
Fatiaki emphasized the need for parents to urge their government to address these concerns, warning that the quality of education at USP is at risk. She cited feedback from students enrolled in the psychology program, stating they had requested face-to-face interactions despite the program being conducted entirely online.
Moreover, Fatiaki asserted that the unions have documented cases in which full-time staff have been replaced by online consultants from India, including in the agriculture program at the Alafua Campus in Samoa.
A biology PhD student and part-time tutor, Bindiya Rashni, shared her personal ordeal. She recounted that since July, her research group experienced the sudden termination of their supervisor, Tamara Osborne Naikatini. In response, they had to draft a letter to the USP Council to restore her position, as she is recognized as a leading expert in the Pacific Islands for supervising their research.
Rashni mentioned that around 12 PhD students are uncertain about their potential graduation due to the lack of a qualified scientist to endorse their theses. She was expected to complete her studies this semester and has taken on teaching responsibilities at the request of Dr. Tamara.
“The past semester has been wasted on administrative issues without the necessary expertise, which is crucial for the quality of PhD programs,” Rashni expressed.
In response to the queries regarding these matters, USP stated that the unions can only address grievances according to the approved strike mandate, acknowledging that other issues raised fall outside the official scope of the strike concerning staff terms and conditions.
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