The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre has warned that a proposed $2000 fine for parents under the Education Bill 2025 is disproportionate and risks pushing low-income families deeper into poverty.
Making its submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law, and Human Rights yesterday, FWCC manager legal services Miliana Tarai said the penalty failed to reflect the economic realities faced by many parents, particularly single mothers.
She said the fine was disproportionately high when viewed against the average monthly income of single parents in Fiji.
“For many, such a sum represents several months of essential living expenses,” she said.
“When a mother with multiple children is unable to meet these costs, the law creates a poverty trap.”
Ms Tarai said the Bill contradicted constitutional guarantees of free education by allowing government-aided or government-owned schools to continue charging levies.
“While it is commendable that the Bill recognises and reflects section 31 subsection 2 of the Constitution on free education, this is contradicted by government-aided or owned schools being allowed to charge levy under section 76 of the Bill.”
She also raised concerns that schools continued to reproduce unequal gender power relations, saying the Bill did not sufficiently address gender inequality.
“While we have signed onto international instruments and have recognised under our legislations gender inequality and unequal gender power relations, or patriarchy, it continues to be a persistent issue in Fiji.”
