FNU Natabua, Lautoka, to boost teacher training

Fiji National University’s campus in Natabua, Lautoka, will soon become a designated teacher campus. This means that all types of basic core facilities for teacher courses and education will soon be implemented and availed as space will be created.

This was confirmed by the Fiji National University, pro-vice chancellor, Learning and Teaching, Eci Nabalarua, yesterday during her presentation at the Education Forum 2017 at Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi. She said there was going to be a range of changes in the campus structures.

“There is holistic perspective that FNU is going through at the moment under the new leadership,” Ms Nabalarua said. “Lautoka campus will become a designated teacher campus and so all the types of basic core facilities would have wanted for teachers education will now be possible to be implemented because we will have the space,” she said.

Science facilities from the Natabua campus will also be moved across to Nabua in Suva. “This means that we can have the science specific laboratories for primary teaching and more space for the arts education and music for primary.

“But also moving a trimester mode to a semester mode has given us the opportunity to relook at the undergraduate structures,” Ms Nabalarua said.

“We want to provide facilities that are one notch above what the students have been getting from their respective top schools they’ve been attending.” She said the assessment for professional practicum will be re-looked at.

Ms Nabalarua said the idea was to upskill the teacher training institutions and ensure the delivery of teachers were top notch once they started teaching.

She also elaborated on the need for information technology and communications.

Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, Mahendra Reddy, told Ms Nabalarua to ensure consultations in regards to the curriculums in the teacher training.

Mr Reddy said the Ministry would be sitting with the heads of the teacher training institutions to discuss the curriculums and what changes were needed in it.