Students will be eagerly waiting for the budget announcement tomorrow to see if issues that were raised by them during the consultations have been addressed in 2018/2019 National Budget.
The budget consultations held around the country by the Minister for Economy early this year had targeted youth to gauge their opinions and suggestions on issues they want to be addressed.
During the consultations, a student of the University of the South Pacific had asked Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed‑Khaiyum if the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Board could provide students under the Tertiary Education Loans Scheme updates of the money they are getting every semester.
Sayed‑Khaiyum had responded that the government has given the board $2 million to invest in an IT system that will allow them to give financial statements to students every six months.
Some students of the Fiji National University had raised concerns that the university did not have well‑qualified lecturers and said that they were concerned that lecturers with only degree qualifications were teaching honors programs.
During various consultations, students had talked about problems they faced with accommodation and learning equipment, the need to increase the number of lecture rooms at FNU Campuses, the need to have more cleaners and accreditation for engineering courses.
A student had asked if the government would consider making tertiary education free for those from poor backgrounds.
Sayed‑Khaiyum had responded that making tertiary education free is something the government cannot afford to do at this stage.
During the consultations in March this year, a student of Naitasiri Secondary School had raised serious concerns that their school which is situated in the interior had not received text books.
Sayed-Khaiyum had told the students that at the end of last year, he had a meeting with all the officials of the Ministry of Education and told them that everybody must have a textbook on the first day of school this year and that officials from the Ministry of Education had told him that it was done.
He had also taken notes from other students who had also said they had not received textbooks.
Another student from Naitasiri Secondary School had suggested that a Technical College be opened in Naitasiri as many students from there want to go into vocational studies.
In another consultation, a student of Suva Muslim College had raised concerns on why there is a need for Year 12 and 13 students to submit handwritten projects three times.
Sayed-Khaiyum said that the education system in Fiji needs to be reviewed.
A USP student had suggested that the government set up English Learning Centres to teach English as many students had difficulty with the language.
Sayed‑Khaiyum had told the student that her suggestion was very urban centric but it is true that the level of English in schools is a concern.
He said they are planning to use Walesi to introduce programs that will help people learn how to properly write and read the English language.
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