SHADOW Education Minister Ro Teimumu Kepa has called for the reestablishment of the independent education commission.
In her right of response to President Joji Konrote’s address during the opening of Parliament last week, Ro Teimumu said the commission was needed to consider challenges and shortcomings in Fiji’s education system.
Ro Teimumu said Fiji’s education system needed to be refocused. She said the ministry needed to address a lot of issues including curriculum content, training, organisation, fractured relationships between stakeholders, discipline and morale of students and teachers.
“Apart from ensuring that we are equipping students and older children to lead productive lives, more effort is needed to ensure that what is taught in schools and institutions of higher learning meets the needs of the economy,” she said.
“An interesting study I read recently was carried out by Rajesh Krishna, former principal of Swami Vivekananda College in Nadi for his master’s studies involving schools in the Western Division, revealed that 65 per cent of teachers and students were not happy with the education system.
“It noted that students were faced with enormous pressure to compete and too much emphasis were placed on performance and examination content.
“The study noted that the curriculum was outdated, not factoring in that Information and technology is to help prepare career advancement by providing technical knowledge and communications including critical and creative thinking relevant to the workplace.
“The curriculum was really narrow with so much focus on exam result not tapping on every childs’ abilities where the system was headed towards the exam system.”
Ro Teimumu said at the end of the year only high achievers were awarded recognition while on the other hand artistically gifted children who were good in other areas were left by the wayside adding that this made up majority of students in any class.
“Why do you think there is an increase in incidence of drugs, truancy, rape and disciplinary problems?
“The study also found that that the incidents were carried out by students that were not academically oriented as the curriculum did not cater for their needs therefore they were frustrated and were not being able to cope.
“In 2014, the then education minister mentioned the setting up of the independent education commission but then he did a U-turn.”
Ro Teimumu also highlighted in Parliament teachers concerns about their pay and determination for salary increase.
