CONSTANT changes to education policies and curriculum have failed to arrest declining academic standards in Fiji.
A teacher of 33 years Petero Delasau raised the concern while addressing the Standing Committee on Social Affairs and Justice during the Consultation on the Education Bill at Namosi Hall.
Mr Delasau said repeated government efforts to modernise education through policy and curriculum changes had not improved standards but instead contributed to what he described as a breakdown in discipline and respect within schools.
“Drawing on my experience teaching at both primary and secondary levels, including at Vashist Muni School, respect for teachers had significantly declined over time,” Mr Delasau said.
“During his teaching years, students of all backgrounds were treated equally when disciplined,” a practice he said “earned lasting respect from former students”.
Mr Delasau said it had become difficult to distinguish between teachers and students in modern school environments.
He said in the past, students would make way for teachers out of respect, a practice he no longer observes.
He shared observations from a recent visit to a school he manages in Veivatuloa, where he witnessed teachers struggling to maintain discipline without the use of corporal punishment.
“Some students show little regard for teachers, even engaging in disruptive behaviour such as making paper gliders during lessons.”
Mr Delasau said the root cause of declining academic standards was not curriculum content but an underlying attitude problem within the education system.
“There is an attitude problem at the heart of education in Fiji, and we will not be able to solve the issues of declining standards no matter how many times the curriculum is changed.”
He also credited Fiji’s strong English language proficiency to the colonial-era education system, which he said maintained high standards and quality during his schooling years.
Mr Delasau further suggested that major changes to education policy should not be decided solely by the minister but should instead involve a referendum when significant reforms are proposed.
