Education in Fiji is centrally administered by the Ministry of Education. Through this arm of government, administration, policy and delivery of educational services is managed and provided. Curriculum frameworks and policy guidelines and directions are centrally developed. The Ministry also provides for qualified teaching personnel to support all schools in the delivery of quality education for students. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that this system is very stretched, with the extremely low wages paid to teachers in outlying areas failing to attract and hold suitably qualified personnel.
The education system in Fiji is based upon a 6-4-3 model. Current literature provides conflicting evidence on the compulsory/non-compulsory attendance of students in the Primary years (1-6), possibly reflecting the current state of political unrest. While primary education is officially proclaimed to be free, fees and costs are reported to be preventing some students from attending. Further, conflicting evidence on adult literacy rates also exists placing it within the range of 93-99%. A reasonable conclusion could be made that access to and the provision of education has also been disrupted due to the political factors currently being experienced in Fiji.
a) School education
Pre-Primary Level
Pre-Primary education is offered in Fiji but does not appear to be funded by government.
Primary Level
The first six years of formal education is within a primary school model covering grades 1-6. Conflicting evidence exists upon which years are compulsory, but statistics show that almost all students were completing their primary education prior to the coup cycle. Later evidence suggests that the percentage of students completing Primary education is diminishing due to security concerns and the cost of fees and transport.
Secondary Level
The following four years (forms 1-4) are within Secondary school and theoretically compulsory. Attendance rates are reported to be falling due to the same reasons as for attendance at Primary school. A further three years are optional (Forms 5,6 & 7) for those students wishing to pursue tertiary studies or vocational/technical programs.
Non-Government Schools
There are a range of private education providers at both Primary and Secondary levels who operate under Government supervision.
b) Vocational education and training (VET)
There are approximately 50 further education institutions operating in Fiji.
Recently established in Nadi is the Australia-Pacific Technical College, an Australian government initiative to provide training opportunities in the Pacific region in automotive, manufacturing, construction and electrical, tourism and hospitality.
The University of Southern Queensland has a local presence offering distance learning courses with a joint venture partner. The Institute of Technology Australia (IOTA) has a local campus in Suva.
FIT offers through the University of Newcastle an in-country TVET teacher education at degree level. The program is developed to upgrade knowledge, skills and qualification of teachers and trainers in the teaching of technical and vocational education in secondary schools. TPAF offers through TAFE Western Sydney and University of Sunshine Coast programs on IT, Commerce and Hospitality.
c) Higher education
Pre-Tertiary and Tertiary Education
Other countries, such as Australia, make a substantial contribution to the direct and indirect funding of tertiary and further technical education in Fiji. This has been in the form of direct funding, regular visiting by specialists for the purpose of training others and research, provision of scholarships for Fijian students and joint ventures. The University of Southern Queensland operates campuses in Suva and Nadi.
In January 2010, six separate government-owned institutions/departments were amalgamated into the Fiji National University. Originally, these were: Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT), Fiji School of Medicine, Fiji College of Advanced Education, Fiji College of Agriculture, Lautoka Teachers College, and Fiji School of Nursing. The University comprises five colleges: 1. Humanities and Education, 2. Medicine, Nursing and Public Health, 3. Engineering, Science and Technology, 4. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 5. Commerce, Hospitality and Tourism Studies. Prior to amalgamation, FIT had over 20,000 students enrolled in over 120 courses over 4 campuses. It had developed three separate research foci through: The Centre for Applied Economic Research, The Centre for Sustainable Technology and Development, and The Centre for Drama and Creative Arts.
A third university, The University of the South Pacific also operates in Fiji and has its main campus in Suva. It is financed by 12 other countries in the region. Student numbers are approximately 2,500 full-time on-campus and around 5000 studying by off-campus/extension modes based in various local centres in neighbouring countries.
Overview of Distance Education
The establishment of the University of the South Pacific (USP) represents the effective beginning of distance education in Fiji. In the late 1960s, almost all distance learners in Fiji were students enrolled in correspondence courses provided by New Zealand institutions, such as Massey University. The situation changed with the launch of the first USP extension programs in 1971. From an original 6 courses and 150 students, USP’s Distance & Flexible Learning (DFL) operations have grown enormously. In 2008, the USP offered almost 500 courses and had 19,146 students studying across the Pacific.
In recent years, the Fijian Government has initiated a number of pilot projects to provide blended and distance education programs to school aged children in rural and remote parts of the country (see below).
The Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT), now part of the Fiji National University (FNU) had a Distance Learning Unit that specialised in the delivery of outreach programs addressing the needs of adults and out-of-school youths. It is unknown whether this unit is still operating.
The University of the South Pacific (USP) is the major provider of distance learning programs in Fiji and in twelve other Pacific nations: Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. There are two USP Distance & Flexible Learning Centres in Fiji: USP Lautoka Campus and the Fiji Centre Northern in Labasa. These Centres support distance learners across Fiji and the Pacific. The USP offers Distance & Flexible Learning courses in a wide range of subjects and at different levels from certificate-level programs to postgraduate qualifications.
Printed based materials form the primary method of distance delivery. These are supplemented by a range of different media: audio/video tapes, CD-ROMs and DVDs, satellite-based videoconferencing and audioconferencing, and e-learning using the Moodle platform. The USP’s goal is to move eventually to fully online delivery.
Administration and finance
The Ministry of Education is responsible for the administration and management of education policy and delivery of educational services. It provides the curriculum frameworks, policy guidelines and directions, as well as qualified teaching personnel that support all schools in the delivery of quality education for students. The Ministry must also ensure that standards in education are met and maintained and the human, physical and the financial resources allocated to education by the government are appropriately directed and expended.
The Ministry has responsibility for:
- provision of services to the Minister, Statutory Agencies, Cabinet and Government
- management of resource planning and policy development related to education and training
- provision of programme support to education and training institutions
- regulation and recognition of education and training providers and accreditation of programme delivery
- accounting for the resources allocated by government to the Fiji Islands education system.
Little is known of the financial provisions for education subsequent to the political coups discussed above. The Training & Productivity Authority of Fiji (TPAF ) is also the administrative body for a mandatory local employer contribution per employee that goes to subsiding the cost of vocational training in Fiji. Vocational providers approach TPAF for ‘grant claimable’ approval, which allows the course provider to offer grants/subsidised training to companies whose employees participate on approved courses (up to 100 per cent reimbursement of course costs).
Higher Education Reforms
Prior to 2007, the Government of Fiji took a largely “hands off” approach to governance in higher education. This situation has been transformed by a number of recent initiatives, including the establishment of the Higher Education Commission, the Fiji National Research Council (FNRC) and the Fiji Qualifications Framework. The Government of Fiji has repeatedly indicated its concern with the quality of tertiary education in Fiji. In addition, the establishment of the FNRC in 2008 indicates a growing awareness at the Government level of the importance of research policy in national development.
Future Direction of Tertiary Education
The formation of the Fiji National University in 2010 represented a major change in the higher education sector. The FNU incorporates six previously independent tertiary providers: the Fiji Institute of Technology, Fiji College of Advanced Education, Lautoka Teachers College, Fiji School of Medicine and Fiji College of Agriculture. The new institution will retain a TVET focus, although it is likely to expand its range outside this area in the near future. The expectation is that the new institution will provide a major focus for the government efforts to expand the provision of tertiary education in Fiji.
Information and Communications Technology Initiatives
Fiji’s telecommunications infrastructure is better than that of many other Pacific nations, although still poor by world standards. The Southern Cross underwater cable links the island of Viti Levu to New Zealand, Australia and the United States. However, there is lack of competition in the fixed-line sector due to the Telecom Fiji monopoly. This is one factor which has retarded the development of Fiji’s telecommunications infrastructure.
Internet penetration in Fiji is low, despite rapid improvement in recent years. In 2010, internet penetration was 12%, up from only 1.7% in 2007. Partial deregulation of the telecommunications market after 2007 has resulted in a rapid increase of mobile phone penetration. Despite these promising signs, the future development of Fijian telecommunications is uncertain, largely as a result of political factors. For this reason, there are limited opportunities for e-learning in the Fijian education sector.
a) Information society strategy
In recognition of the impact of ICTs on higher education in general, including its impact on modes of delivery, teaching and learning methods and institutional structures, the Higher Education Commission is committed to the development of an academic broadband facility for use by higher education institutions. To aid in the delivery of its services, the Commission maintains a website of information and an interactive database. All documents for the Commission’s operation including legislations, policies, procedures and forms can be accessed from the website.
b) Major e-learning initiatives
Fiji is a member of the OLPC initiative. In 2009, the Fijian Government announced plans to distribute 70,000 OLPC XO laptops in its schools, commencing with a proposed roll-out to 2000 children in 2010.
c) Benchmarking e-learning
None identified.
d) Support for OER
Fiji is a participant in the Commonwealth of Learning’s Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) project. VUSSC is actively engaged in the development of OER materials for use among member states.
e) Government entities
Ministry of Education (MoE)
Secretariat of the Pacific Board of Education Assessment (SPBEA) (quality assurance)
f) Associations and networks
Pacific Archive of Digital Data for Learning and Education (PADDLE)
Pacific Technical and Vocational Education and Training Project (PATVET)
Pacific Islands Regional Association for Distance Education (PIRADE)
Pacific Regional Initiatives for the Delivery of basic Education (PRIDE)
g) Distance Education journals
On Pirade: Newsletter of the Pacific Islands Regional Association for Distance Education
Interesting Distance Education Initiatives
In 2009, the Government of Fiji launched a project is to provide satellite-based distance learning for children at rural and remote schools in Fiji. The pilot involved three schools on Viti Levu. As part of the project, a Studio Centre was established at the Nasinu Campus of the Fiji National University and hardware and software installed at the schools. By mid-2010, the project had been extended to a total of seven schools on the island. Students at these schools receive course in Chemistry, Biology, English, Geography, Agriculture, Economics and Fijian by satellite. Instruction in four schools is up to Form 7. Students at three other schools are provided with instruction up to Form 6. The intention is to extend the satellite network to schools in the Southern Lau Group as soon as possible.
The Department of Public Health at the Fiji National University offers a number of DFL courses. These courses are open to learners in Fiji and across the Pacific. Qualifications available through the Department are:
Certificate in Public Health
Diploma in Public Health
Bachelor in Public Health
Bachelor in Environmental Health
Diploma in Physiotherapy
Bachelor in Pharmacy
Bachelor in Medical Laboratory Science
Bachelor in Medical Imaging Science
Postgraduate Certificate in Public Health
Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health
Postgraduate Diploma in Health Service Management
Master in Public Health.
The FNU Department of Health Sciences also provides a small number of courses for distance learners. These include a diploma-level course in Physiotherapy and bachelor degree programs in Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Science and Medical Imaging Science.