Ladies and gentlemen Bula Vinaka,
I am delighted to announce that following the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, cabinet has endorsed for the Ministry of Education to host the highly anticipated Fiji National Education Summit in Nadi from the 20th – 22nd of September.
This Summit is a significant event for our education sector, and the Ministry is thankful for the support towards this event in partnership with Global Partnership for Education (GPE) through its grant agent UNICEF. This partnerships enables the ministry to organise the summit, which is a platform that provides an opportunity for education stakeholders and our education partners to come together and discuss educational issues that will ensure that Fiji’s education sector is aligned to the global education practices and meets the relevant competency and skills needed in the job market.
- Through productive dialogue and consultations from this forum, we aim to reach a consensus on the best sustainable direction of education development for the future of Fiji.
- In my capacity, as Minister for Education, I am reaching out to all our stakeholders and communities to participate in this important undertaking of shaping the future of education in our beloved nation. The Summit allows participants to conduct a comprehensive stock-take of the status of education in Fiji through status reports presented by the Ministry of Education. The reports, supported by data as evidence, are intended to accurately show the true status of education in Fiji and provide the foundation to build relevant policies that will leverage student achievements, create greater learning opportunities and ensure that all students will achieve their aspirations in life through high quality and relevant education programmes.
- After nine months, the Coalition government understands the enormity of the task ahead of us in terms of building an education system that can better respond to student needs and the needs of Fiji’s labour market in both the formal and informal sectors. The Summit, therefore, summons us all to be part of this re-building process.
- Ladies and gentlemen, the Ministry of Education, in the last few months, embarked on a programme of consultation throughout the four divisions, including calls for public submissions to seek the views of all stakeholders regarding the future of education development in the country. The Ministry has gathered information, viewpoints and suggestions from the pre-summit consultations and developed a Draft National Education Policy Framework that will be further deliberated at the Summit.
- Ladies and gentlemen, from the pre-summit consultations, Seven Thematic Areas have emerged as the pillars for the new Fiji Education Policy Framework,: These pillars are:
(i.a) Curriculum & Sustainable Development,
(i.b) Quality Assurance and Assessment;
(ii) Teaching Profession and Leadership;
(iii) Early Childhood Education, Inclusive Education, Access, Equitable, Safe & Healthy Schools;
(iv) Education Financing and Effective Governance;
(v) Technical, Vocational Education & Training, Non-formal and Life long Learning;
(vi) Digital Learning & Transformation, Information Technology and Cyber Safety; and
(vii) Education Policy, Planning, Research and Data
- Policy initiatives have been identified under each of the seven Thematic Areas, will be further discussed during the Summit. The policy initiatives will then be further unpacked when the Ministry of Education implements those policies through the detailed education sector plans. These will be undertaken post-summit, where the Ministry will go through a process of prioritization.
- I invite all media representatives to actively participate and cover the Fiji National Education Summit. Your involvement is vital in spreading awareness about the importance of education and the outcomes of this significant event. Together, we can create a thriving education sector that empowers our students and contributes to the growth and prosperity of Fiji.
- Thank you for your support to the Ministry and the education sector. We are confident that the media will be raising extensive awareness about the critical role that the Fiji Education Summit play in the future of our beloved Fiji.
Vinaka Vakalevu.
