Ministry, unions, councils, and associations make Education Forum a success
The two-day Education Forum 2017 ended yesterday on a high note after successful deliberations between the Ministry of Education and its stakeholders.
For the first time, the Fijian Teachers Association, Fiji Teachers Union, Fiji National Council of School Management, Fiji Principals Associations and three local universities came together in the forum to discuss the welfare of the education sector together.
Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, Mahendra Reddy said this open forum was a productive one. “This was a very successful forum because for the first time ever, we gave opportunity to the unions to make presentations, to analyse, see what changes were made and what they needed from us,” he said. Mr Reddy said the corporate section of the Ministry would put the outcomes of the Forum together. Mr Reddy also said this year the ministry was conducting consultation of its reforms to ensure that any particular obstacles at the ground levels were looked into and removed.
He said it was one thing to roll out reforms but the other to ensure it was effective.
He also said the Fiji National Council of School Management listed down some of in their observations in the light of management issues in schools.
The Fiji Teachers Union general secretary Agni Deo Singh, thanked the Minister for allowing the union’s participation in the Forum, where he was also given an opportunity to present.
In his presentation, Mr Singh said he was happy with what the Ministry of Education was doing with the education sector.
He stood by his words in protection of teachers’ salaries.