An urgent call is being made to the government to seriously look at increasing the free education grants for early childhood, primary and secondary schools, allowing school management committees to charge targeted fees, and allow flexibility to conduct fundraising activities.
While speaking on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan, the call to action is being made by representative of Catholic Education and former Principal, Ben Salacakau and parent, lawyer and representative of Chinese Education Society, Glenis Yee.
They say the budget submission has been made by Catholic Education, Methodist Church Education, Indian Education Society, Gujerat Education Society, Arya Samaj, TISI Sangam, Rishikul Maha Sabha and the Great Council of Chiefs.
Out of the 916 schools in Fiji, only 13 are government schools.
The 13 government schools Delainamasi Government School, Natabua Primary School, Adi Cakobau School, Bucalevu Secondary School, Labasa College, Levuka Public School, Nasinu Secondary School, Natabua High School, Queen Victoria School, Ratu Kadavulevu School, Sila Central High School, Suva Grammar School, and Vunisea Secondary School.
All the rest are community run schools, and they are struggling to cope in providing the best facilities and infrastructure for the students of the country.
Yee says the free education grants are insufficient and for primary schools it equates to less than $1 a day per child.
She says the Australian Infrastructure Assessment Report on the 86 schools assessed in the Suva-Nausori corridor proves the sorely lacking state of the schools where it was stated that 70 percent of the schools were overcrowded, there is a need for an additional 249 classrooms, over half of the schools have structural defects, corrosion, asbestos, and lack of sanitation facilities.
Yee says this is in our major developed area, and can people imagine what is happening in schools in the rural areas.
She says students from Saint Thomas High School are now studying in tents because of termite infestation, and how can students concentrate in these conditions.
Former Principal and current Manager and Chairman of Saint John Bosco Primary School, Ben Salacakau says they have almost 800 students although they had only spaces for 400, and on top of that due to many parents not assisting in any school fundraising, they have been asking the Catholic congregation to assist.
He stresses they need the participation of the parents of the students in all schools to assist, and the government needs to look at all these issues.
We have reached out to Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro.
He is expected to appear on fijivillage Straight Talk to address all education related matters this month.
Stay with us for that.
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