Underinvestment in Fiji’s education system is fuelling teachers’ issues and driving renewed calls for the return of corporal punishment.
Speaking during the National Conversation on Corporal Punishment at the University of the South Pacific, permanent secretary for Justice, Selina Kuruleca said the issue reflected deeper systemic challenges, not cruelty, but the exhaustion of teachers struggling without adequate support.
Ms Kuruleca said teachers’ concerns should not be dismissed, as they often stem from overcrowded classrooms, limited counselling services, and the emotional exhaustion of teaching without adequate support.
“I see corporal punishment not only as a legal violation, but as a symptom of a deeper challenge in our education ecosystem,” she said.
“When teachers or the Fiji Teachers Association call for its return, it is often not cruelty, but frustration.”
She said the solution lies in strengthening teacher support systems rather than reverting to physical discipline.
“We must respond not with blame, but with investment in our teachers and in capacity.
“Our teacher training must bring back the heart of education.”
Ms Kuruleca emphasised the need to integrate developmental psychology, behaviour management, and restorative practices into teacher preparation and ongoing professional development.
“Discipline begins long before a child walks into a classroom, and it continues long after they leave it.
“We must rebuild and strengthen partnerships between homes and schools.”
She also stressed that teachers must feel supported and emotionally secure to effectively manage classrooms without resorting to punitive measures.
While reaffirming that corporal punishment remained unlawful, Ms Kuruleca said its prohibition was grounded not only in law but also in science and cultural values.
“Corporal punishment is unlawful, yes, but more importantly, it is unnecessary.
“The law gives us the standard, science gives us the evidence, and our culture gives us the moral foundation.
“Together, they tell us one truth, discipline should never break a child’s spirit. It should build it.”
