80% of Early Childhood Education teachers apply to leave Fiji due to low pay - Manumanunitoga

About 80% of Early Childhood Education teachers have lodged their applications to go overseas.

This has been highlighted by the General Secretary of the Fijian Teachers Association, Paula Manumanunitoga who says that many teachers are leaving for greener pastures because of low pay.

Manumanunitoga says teaching is a noble profession, but the government pays them peanuts.

He says in primary schools, there is a shortage of about 500 teachers, which means nearly every school is short of at least one teacher.

He adds the union cannot stop the migration of teachers, but if the government wants them to stay, it should consider increasing their pay.

The General Secretary also says the message they have passed on to teachers is that they need to remain passionate about their work and not to be swayed or change their attitude just because the government is not listening and must continue doing the right thing.