THE classification of schools remains a major concern for the Fiji Principals Association, which says the issue has not been addressed despite its urgency.
Association president Vishnu Sharma said student numbers had changed significantly, warranting a review.
“So that staffing allocation and the status of principals can be reconciled,” Mr Sharma said.
“As such, the FPA calls for an urgent and appropriate review of school classifications.
“The issues before us are real, but they are not insurmountable.
“We are not merely presenting problems, we are advancing solution-based frameworks that demand support, policy alignment and shared accountability.”
Mr Sharma said the association stood ready to work with the ministry to make every school in Fiji “digitally-empowered, culturally-rooted, globally-attuned and child-centred.”
The 132nd Fiji Principals Association conference was held in partnership with UNICEF.
Principals call for autonomy
NINETY-EIGHT per cent of members of the Fiji Principals Association want conditions on internal assessment examinations scrapped.
FPA president Vishnu Sharma told the association’s conference in Nadi last week that the Education Ministry had in recent years begun micromanaging how assessments were carried out.
“The instruction from the ministry via a circular unnecessarily makes the roles of principals very challenging, giving them a timeframe to conduct mid-year and annual examinations,” he said.
“Please note that the continuous assessment of various subjects is not an issue.”
Mr Sharma told Education Minister Aseri Radrodro that “with your numerous visits to schools around the country, you must have observed and understood that each school is unique”.
“There are some schools that have a cut-off mark system for student intake while there are others that take anyone who comes.
“Additionally, there are many other underlying factors that affect curriculum delivery and learning, pedagogies, assessment practices and resource availability.”
He said an assessment process that worked well in one school could be a failure in another.
“As a result, the FPA strongly calls upon your honourable office that from here on, principals be given absolute freedom to decide on internal assessments for their schools as their schools are unique.
“This call is based on the recent FPA survey which indicates 98 per cent of its members are calling for the removal of the conditions of the internal assessment.”
Make sports co-curricular, not extracurricular
THE Fiji Principals Association has called for closer dialogue with the Education Ministry to strengthen accountability in school sports.
President Vishnu Sharma told the association’s 132nd conference in Nadi last week that sporting bodies must answer to the ministry because they were involved with teachers and students.
“Because it involves teachers and students,” Mr Sharma said.
“The Ministry of Education invests massively in all sports through the provision of free education grant (FEG) usage for registration, affiliation fees, transportation and accommodation of teams during national events.
“If there is any reservation about sporting bodies, I urge the principals to step up and take the leadership role in different sporting federations. Let us champion school sports programs not only to produce elite athletes, but to keep students engaged, fit and emotionally balanced.”
Mr Sharma said principals’ involvement would also open opportunities for talent development and scholarships.
“Let us advocate for better facilities, safer sporting environments, and equal opportunities for both boys and girls in sports. Leadership is visible – and our visible support can be transformative.”
He also suggested sports be recognised as cocurricular rather than extracurricular. “It builds character, discipline, teamwork, and mental strength.”
Head of school pushes for PEMAC priority
A RECOMMENDATION has been made at the Fiji Principals Association conference to ensure music teachers are appointed to fill vacancies left by retirements or resignations.
Ratu Sukuna Memorial School principal Miriama Naicegucegu said recruitment priority was often given to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, leaving gaps in expressive arts.
“I know we are heading for an educational crisis in terms of having the number of teachers to fill vacant positions,” she said.
“I would like to request consideration for PEMAC, to have music teachers in schools.
“If we are trying to broaden the curriculum and not focus only on academics, some of our students can even go into expressive arts and right now in term one.”
She said one of her PEMAC teachers retired earlier this year, leaving her school without a music teacher.
“She was given a contract which ends on January 26. But she turns 60 on June 1, and up until today I do not have any music teacher. And I have been calling some school heads if they have a PEMAC teacher with music as a major. But I’ve not been getting that, so if PEMAC can also be considered together with STEM subjects.”
In response, Education Ministry human resources unit acting director Taniela Domoni said the ministry was reviewing cases involving teachers whose contracts ended after they turned 60.
“In terms of contract, I think the advice we have now from the Civil Service Ministry is that as soon as you reach your 60th birthday, your contract or your service ends there,” Mr Domoni said.
“But then again, we are reviewing this case, and I know we have two cases where their contracts end after their 60th birthday.
Maybe there was advice from the Ministry of Civil Service when those appointment letters were made.”
