GOVERNMENT PURSUES VOCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS WITH CHINESE GOVERNMENT
The Minister for Education, Honorable Aseri Radrodro, has initiated discussions with the People’s Republic of China for funding vocational scholarships.
The meeting, was attended by His Excellency Ambassador Zhou Jian, along with key people from the Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service (TSLS), Chairperson Ro Teimumu Kepa and CEO Dr. Hasmukh Lal. Honourable Radrodro,led the meeting to discuss a potential partnership aimed at addressing skills gaps in Fiji’s workforce through technical and vocational education.
Honourable Radrodro, addressed the ongoing challenges within Fiji’s labor market, particularly the loss of skilled workers to countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Canada. Although actual data is still being finalized, it is estimated that Fiji has lost approximately 3% of its population permanently, with this number continuing to rise, as labour pull factor trend continues l in developed countries. While the Government works to address these workforce challenges, competing national priorities make it difficult to self invest adequately in developing the skilled workforce Fiji needs. The discussion also focused on the importance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs. According to 2019 Bureau of Statistics data, 64% of jobs in Fiji are within the TVET sector. However, the increasing complexity of vocational training, driven by advances in technology and sophistication of resources, presents a significant challenge for local training institutions, which struggle to provide up-to-date training resources and infrastructure in certain programmes to meet evolving industry needs.
The Minister, Honourable Radrodro, has identified China as a key partner in this area, given its leading role in evolving technology-integrated TVET training. He expressed hope that the Chinese Government would offer vocational scholarships for Fijian students to get trained in China in fields such as solar and renewable energy engineering, plant engineering, automotive electronics, telecommunications, aquaculture, and agricultural engineering.
These scholarships would be managed by both countries, with TSLS overseeing the selection and bonding process to ensure graduates return to work in Fiji. The plan includes sending 50 students each year for three years, with a total of 150 students benefiting from this partnership.
This partnership aims to strengthen Fiji’s workforce by giving students the chance to gain valuable skills in important industry sectors . Both leaders are committed to formalizing the agreement after going through further discussions and formalities. The Chinese Ambassador, His Excellency, Zhou Jian stated that request is looking positive. If bilateral partnership approved, TSLS will work with selected Chinese training institutions, with a possible visit to ensure they meet Fijian workforce needs. This initiative will be included in Fiji’s 2025-2026 national budget, introducing a new scholarship scheme, supported by Chinese government. It will play a key role in tackling Fiji’s skills shortage and further strengthen relations between Fiji and China.
