The Fiji Teachers Union (FTU) has warned that any move to cut civil servants’ salaries could drive even more teachers out of the country, claiming Fiji is already losing about 730 educators every year to overseas opportunities. FTU general secretary Muniappa Goundar said Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s statement on possible public sector pay cuts amid concerns over a global fuel crisis was alarming at a time when schools were battling to retain experienced teachers.
“Almost 730 teachers leave in a year,” Mr Goundar said.
Mr Goundar said teachers were already under pressure from rising fuel prices and the increasing cost of living and warned that reducing salaries would only make overseas employment more attractive.
He said Fiji should be focusing on retaining teachers rather than implementing measures that could push more educators to leave.
“We are training teachers not to export, we need to retain them.”
Instead of salary reductions, the union is seeking a 15 per cent pay increase in the 2026-2027 Budget, including an 8 per cent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), a 3 per cent salary scale progression payment, a 2 per cent merit payment and a 2 per cent equity and retention allowance.
Mr Goundar described any salary cut as a “political test” for the Government and said the union would strongly oppose such a move.
