The breakdown of parental responsibility in some iTaukei families is hurting student discipline and performance, a teachers’ union leader says.
Fijian Teachers Association general secretary Paula Manumanunitoga said the breakdown of parental responsibility, particularly within some iTaukei families, affects student discipline and performance in schools.
In an exclusive interview with The Fiji Times, he said that Indo-Fijian parents tend to be stricter with their children’s upbringing, and this often reflects in their performance in the classroom.
“Generally speaking, as an observation from a teacher’s point of view, parents have been neglecting their student’s upbringing, especially iTaukei parents,” Mr Manumanunitoga said.
“The Indo-Fijian parents are very strict with their children. They ensure that their children are at home before 5pm every afternoon, and they have a set of light duties that their children need to do when they come home.
“They have their tea, then they do their homework, and then they wash the dishes, sweep the floor and other chores.”
However, he said the same cannot be said for iTaukei families where children are often left to their own devices after school.
“You go to any suburb in Suva, even in the villages, before even entering the house they can just throw their bags through the door, and then off they go.
“I think, one of the parents should at least be there at home to meet and greet and supervise, instead of having both of the parents absent from home.
“They have these religious activities, they go for choir practice, go for prayer meetings, and then the children are left entirely by themselves at home.”
