NFP is not accepting AG’s explanation about the reasons why teachers are getting term contracts

The National Federation Party is not accepting the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum’s explanation about the reasons why teachers are getting term contracts, and the NFP Leader Professor Biman Prasad is now calling on the teachers unions to rise and take immediate action.

Prasad says the teaching fraternity has been exploited and held to ransom by the current Government, which has forced them to enter into contracts under the pretext of offering them salary increases.

He claims that Principals, Vice Principals, Heads of Department, Head Teachers, Assistant Head Teachers and other post holders have been demoted to a lower rank and then offered acting appointments to the substantive positions they previously held.

Prasad says they have cited contracts of several teachers.

The NFP Leader says in one case a principal was first offered the contract of a vice principal.

He says the person has been holding the position of Principal prior to the reform.

Biman Prasad claims that on the same day, the person was given another contract of Acting Principal of 95% of the increased salary.

He says in another case a teacher holding the position of HOD was first offered the contract of Assistant Teacher.

Prasad claims that on the same day, the person was offered an Acting HOD Contract at a salary of 95% of the new salary.

The NFP Leader also says that teachers who have been in the service for over 25 years have been given a meagre pay rise of 6.4 percent and the same as teachers with far less experience because they do not hold a Diploma.

Prasad says the renewal of the contract is at the absolute discretion of Government, the civil servant irrevocably agrees that non‑renewal of the contract will not give rise to any course of action whatsoever against the Government, the duration of the Contract expires immediately upon a civil servant reaching the retirement age of 55, renewal of the Contract is subject to Government requiring the services of the civil servant and that too if he or she agrees to enter into another contract on mutually agreed terms, the decision of Government to transfer a civil servant on the existing terms of the Contract to anywhere in Fiji is final and the Government has the right to change or vary the Contract anytime.

Prasad says the two teacher unions must rise and take immediate action to protect their members and prevent the Government from eroding their employment conditions and all teachers must also reject this enforced condition.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has clarified that the teachers contracts can be renewed after their term comes to an end.

He has assured that teachers who reach the retirement age of 55 years in the middle of the year will not have to leave until the end of the year.

Sayed-Khaiyum has also announced a series of nationwide road shows to give Fijian civil servants the facts on government's civil service reform agenda and correct the record of misinformation and rumors about what the reform means for the civil service.

He explained that salary bands are formed on the level of responsibility of a particular position, giving the example of the level of responsibility of someone from the Ministry of Education head office compared to that of the head teacher of a school.

Director Of Civil Service Reform Management Unit Jane Currack said that a higher qualification does not get more pay, as there is a criteria that governs the salary bands. 

She says job evaluation is based on factors such as education, experience, complexity of the job, scope of the job, problem solving, freedom to act, impact of decision, authorities and people management skills.