I’m amazed that the government of Fiji is doing very little to bring closure to this longstanding grievance of students and staff at the USP.
This was highlighted by Fiji Labour Party Leader and former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry as he visited the striking USP staff today.
The USP staff and student unions are demanding the immediate suspension of Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia, citing ongoing poor leadership and governance at the university.
Chaudhry says the government's lack of intervention has allowed the crisis to escalate over the years, further impacting students and university operations, damaging the university’s reputation and affecting the education of its students.
He calls for an investigation into the serious allegations to restore trust and transparency, emphasizing that the ongoing poor management cannot be overlooked any longer.
He further says the Fiji Labour Party supports the cause of the striking workers and will be issuing an official statement shortly.
In an interview with fijivillage News, Association of USP Staff Acting President, Krishneel Ram says they are here because of governance issues.
He says they are tired of this political style of governance and delaying tactics.
Ram says the staff and students are united in solidarity and are not afraid of anything.
Ram says there is a deliberate delay in the investigation process, emphasizing that the shorter the time given for the investigation, the lesser information can be uncovered.
When asked by fijivillage News about the impact on students with disturbance in classes and upcoming exams, Ram says the union's efforts aim to ensure a better environment for learning and teaching at the university.
He says the students understand the issues at hand and are supporting the staff's actions.
He adds that after the strike, teachers are secretly meeting with students because they care about their studies and want to support them during this time.
Ram urges the USP Council members to take action, as the university is crucial for the region and greatly affects the students who are currently impacted.
As we enter the third day of the USP workers’ strike, Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro confirms that he has asked the USP Council for an update on the direction that it wishes to take regarding the strike.
While responding to questions from fijivillage News, Radrodro says Fiji is a member of the Council.
He says it is important that we allow the council to make its decision on the strike without undue influence, especially discussing issues in the media.
Radrodro says we must respect the independence and wisdom of the council.
He stresses for Fiji, their primary concern will be to ensure that our children’s education is prioritised and there are minimal disruptions to their studies given we have exams just around the corner.
Radrodro says as Minister for Education, they hope to have the dispute resolved amicably between the two parties, and they encourage them to talk and resolve the issues the Pacific way.
Tuesday 22/10/2024
I’m amazed that the government of Fiji is doing very little to bring closure to this longstanding grievance of students and staff at the USP.
This was highlighted by Fiji Labour Party Leader and former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry as he visited the striking USP staff today.
The USP staff and student unions are demanding the immediate suspension of Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia, citing ongoing poor leadership and governance at the university.
Chaudhry says the government's lack of intervention has allowed the crisis to escalate over the years, further impacting students and university operations, damaging the university’s reputation and affecting the education of its students.
He calls for an investigation into the serious allegations to restore trust and transparency, emphasizing that the ongoing poor management cannot be overlooked any longer.
He further says the Fiji Labour Party supports the cause of the striking workers and will be issuing an official statement shortly.
In an interview with fijivillage News, Association of USP Staff Acting President, Krishneel Ram says they are here because of governance issues.
He says they are tired of this political style of governance and delaying tactics.
Ram says the staff and students are united in solidarity and are not afraid of anything.
Ram says there is a deliberate delay in the investigation process, emphasizing that the shorter the time given for the investigation, the lesser information can be uncovered.
When asked by fijivillage News about the impact on students with disturbance in classes and upcoming exams, Ram says the union's efforts aim to ensure a better environment for learning and teaching at the university.
He says the students understand the issues at hand and are supporting the staff's actions.
He adds that after the strike, teachers are secretly meeting with students because they care about their studies and want to support them during this time.
Ram urges the USP Council members to take action, as the university is crucial for the region and greatly affects the students who are currently impacted.
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