The University of the South Pacific (USP) has paid tribute to the late Mr Filipe Jitoko, remembering him as a distinguished Pacific education leader, former Permanent Secretary for Education, and a valued member of the USP community whose influence shaped both national and regional education systems.
In an official obituary and tribute, USP said it shared the sorrow of Mr Jitoko’s passing with profound sadness, acknowledging his outstanding service to education in Fiji and across the Pacific.
From 2018 until his passing, Mr Jitoko served as Coordinator of the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) Facilitating Unit, which is hosted at USP.
In this role, he provided instrumental leadership during a transformative period for regional education, guiding PacREF as a shared commitment among Pacific nations to strengthen learning outcomes for future generations.
USP highlighted that Mr Jitoko’s leadership was deeply informed by his national service, particularly his tenure as Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Education.
The university said this experience enabled him to effectively bridge national education priorities with regional aspirations, strengthening collaboration among Pacific governments, development partners and education stakeholders.
“His national leadership experience profoundly enriched his regional contribution, allowing him to unite diverse interests behind a common educational vision for the Pacific,” the tribute said.
USP said Mr Jitoko embodied the university’s values of regional cooperation, academic excellence and service, and helped foster a culture of collaboration, mutual accountability and trust that continues to guide the work of the PacREF Facilitating Unit.
Mr Jitoko’s requiem mass will be held on Monday, 12 January 2026, at his residence in Dromatalia, Nakasi. His funeral service will take place on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, at 9.00am at the Dromatalia Methodist Church.
