Poor performance
THERE has been significant discussion regarding the alarming fact that approximately 6000 students failed the Fiji Year 8 Examination in 2024. Two esteemed writers, Nishant Singh and Tai Smith, shared their perspectives on the matter in the Letters to the Editor column (FT 29/11). One writer advocated for the abolition of the “no-repeat policy,” while the other attributed the failures to parental and teacher negligence. It must be acknowledged that the “no-repeat policy” and the mandate of compulsory education from kindergarten through to Year 12, introduced by the previous government, have inadvertently contributed to a sense of complacency among students. Many now perceive their progression to Year 12 as guaranteed, irrespective of their academic performance. However, it would be unjust to place the entirety of the blame on parents and teachers while absolving students of accountability. Modern students, emboldened by an overabundance of rights, often exhibit a lack of respect for authority, both at school and at home. Misconduct, substance abuse, and general indiscipline have become disturbingly prevalent. If we wish to improve academic outcomes and restore behavioural standards, a comprehensive overhaul of the education system is imperative. After all, a society that normalises mediocrity in education inadvertently undermines its own future. DINESH KUMAR, Ba
Drug use in villages
DRUG users are still human beings and will need all the love and support to steer them away from the habit of drug use. If chiefs were empowered to evict drug users from their villages, where would these drug users go? They will obviously litter our streets causing further issues in our towns and cities. The village is a refuge and a last resort for most iTaukei who have been rejected from society and to evict them from their own villages where their bloodline flows and they’re connected is sad and inhumane. There are more creative ways to tackle the drug use issues in our villages and the use of force isn’t going to make the problem go away. If there are drug users in the villages, simply reporting the matter to police and letting the law take its course is one of many ways to resolve the matter. I believe more dialogue and discussion on the matter with key stakeholders will bring about fruitful outcomes instead of simply evicting villagers. SAILOSI NAEWE, Nausori
No longer the same
DO we have before us a serious national issue which appears to only grow by the week? With due respect, our police force continues to record continued numbers of persons arrested for being in possession of illicit drugs. As parents, this is a worrying trend because our children may grow up in a drug-infested environment. Are the drug lords or king pins local or are they some giants controlling things from abroad? These might appear as sensitive questions but the Fiji we associated with in the 1980s-1990s is no longer the same. For now, I am glad that the Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations (ACP) Livai Driu is playing a leading role in the efforts of our police force. He is a man who does not mince his words and is determined to fulfil his obligations as a policeman. Times have changed and therefore, parents must remain vigilant. Our children deserve more support and guidance in this day and age. Furthermore, the police force needs the support of local communities in its efforts to combat the use of illegal drugs. FLOYD ROBINSON, Micronesia
Blame game
THE rise in crimes against children has been linked to parental neglect by the Government. This becomes an interesting fact when dissected to its root cause. It is easy to point a finger at parents when the makers of the law become entangled in their own laws and look for someone to blame. The fact is, the law does not allow parents to be the rightful parents that they are supposed to be as it has taken away the rights of the parents to discipline their child, while it gives the child the right to question the manner in which they are raised. And so I ask – should the parents be blamed, should the children be blamed or should those that make the laws be blamed? The way I see it is that the law makers are now passing on the blame for the outcome of their laws, and the only way to fix the problem is to stop the blame game and rewrite the laws! And while they’re at it, they might as well rewrite the laws to resolve the shocking exam failures too! NOLEEN BILLINGS, Savusavu
