Expect a possible review of teachers’ salaries.
Education Ministry permanent secretary Selina Kuruleca hinted at this during the Fiji Principals Association’s 129th Conference and AGM last week.
Participants at the conference raised concerns that new teaching graduates were being paid the same salaries as more experienced teachers.
Ms Kuruleca acknowledged the concerns and said it was a result of the new remuneration policy and guidelines.
“We are currently reviewing that,” she said.
“There needs to be a bit more weight given to experience.”
Ms Kuruleca said an exercise the ministry was presently doing was quantifying the years of teaching experience and compensating them accordingly.
“So, the word we’re using is quantifying years of experience than enumerating the years.
“Right now, there’s no allowance or policy that recognises that.”
Ms Kuruleca said the ministry recognised experience as one of the most important aspects of the profession.
“Particularly for people who hold positions of leadership in a school, whether it’s the heads of schools or the heads of departments.”
