The Auditor-General found the Ministry of Education made teacher appointments without sighting a police clearance and medical record of teachers.
This is stated in the Office of the Auditor-General’s 2022 report on the Ministry of Education that was tabled in Parliament recently.
“Before either a letter of appointment or contract of appointment is issued, a candidate selected for appointment shall undergo medical examination and be passed as being in all respects physically and mentally fit by an authorised Medical Officer,” states the OAG.
“The employee shall have a satisfactory police record. Audit review of the new appointment revealed that officers recruited during the financial year by the ministry did not had copies of the medical and police clearance report in their personal files nor in the Fiji Education Staff Appointment (FESA) system.”
Six teachers posted in primary schools didn’t submit a medical record and 14 teachers didn’t submit a police clearance.
“This indicates ineffective records management practices. It also indicates non-compliance to stated rules and guidelines in place to govern how payroll records should be maintained. The OAG recommended the ministry should ensure that medical and police clearance report are maintained in the personal files or in the Fiji Education Staff Appointment (FESA) system for new appointments. The ministry said these documents are submitted to Fiji Teacher Registration Board for the issuance of the teacher license and that the contracts unit only issued the letters once the teachers had obtained the licences.
“The contracts units will henceforth ensure that for all new appointments a copy of the medical and police clearance are filed in the teacher’s personal file before their appointment letters are issued. The ministry will now ensure that all documents are in their personal file.”