February 16, 2022
The new government after the general elections will have a herculean task in dealing with ill-conceived and haphazard changes to education by the small minded, bureaucratic and paranoid Fiji First Government, said National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad.
Professor Prasad said despite the mountainous mess that will be left behind by the current heartless government, the NFP in government will be more than ready and capable of eradicating this mess and restore quality education.
The NFP Leader said to make changes willy-nilly to education curriculum without a comprehensive inquiry into the whole education system by an independent Commission of Inquiry is destroying the quality of education.
He made the comments following Education Minister Premila Kumar’s announcement of removal of a number of subjects currently being taught in school Years 1 to 3.
“The Minister for Education should stop announcing willy-nilly reforms in the education sector”.
“The mess in the education sector today is a direct result of the dictatorial imposition of policies without the consultation with the stakeholders”.
“Since 2014, the NFP has repeatedly called for the appointment of an Education Commission to review the education sector in Fiji because the last such holistic review took place more than 21 years ago in 2000”.
“Since 2007 the Military government and then the Fiji First government have continued to engage in piecemeal, haphazard and ill-conceived reforms in every facet of the education sector”.
“It is interesting that the Minister now talks about the review of the education sector and talks about consultation when she herself during debate on bills last week in parliament said that the government does not need to consult with the people”.
“There have been changes to the examinations, changes to curriculum, changes to teacher recruitment policies, appointment of teachers on short term contracts and many others which urgently needs a review”.
“Only a properly constituted Education Commission can undertake a proper review and consultation with the stakeholders”.
“If the Minister and her government have any concern about the destruction that has been done to the quality of education at all levels in this country under their management, they will appoint an Education Commission soon to undertake a proper review”.
“Anything short of that will be piecemeal, harmful and fail to address the massive problems we have in our education system today”.