EDUCATION Minister Aseri Radrodro has confirmed that 13 officers were identified as ghost employees following a payroll verification exercise by the Ministry of Education.
The exercise was conducted in response to recommendations in the Auditor-General’s 2024 report concerning former ministry employees who continued to receive salaries during the 2024 financial year.
Mr Radrodro said payroll verification was an established process to ensure employment records were accurate and public funds were paid only to legitimate employees.
The exercise also resulted in the cessation of salaries for 134 officers in Pay 18/2026 after the ministry identified outstanding permanent appointment documentation.
The affected teachers had been issued permanent appointment contracts through the Fiji Education Management Information System (FEMIS) in 2025 but had not returned signed contracts for processing and updating of employment records.
Mr Radrodro said the teachers continued to receive salaries until Pay 18/2026 despite the required documentation remaining outstanding.
The verification also identified other employment discrepancies. In one case, a former teacher whose contract expired on January 26, 2025, continued receiving salary payments until Pay 18/2026 after leaving the ministry.
The exercise further found that some affected teachers had not renewed their Fiji Teachers Registration Authority (FTRA) licences as required under the FTRA Act.
Mr Radrodro urged officers to complete and return mandatory employment documents and maintain valid FTRA licences.
He also advised employees to raise employment matters through established ministry channels rather than social media.
Mr Radrodro reminded officers of their obligations under the Civil Service Code of Conduct.
