200 plus teacher contracts expire in April: Akbar

More than 200 contracts will expire in April and school heads are advised to work closely with the divisional officers to identify their teachers. The Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, Rosy Akbar, made the update while addressing school heads of Macuata-Bua provinces at the Labasa Civic Centre on Thursday.

Ms Akbar stressed the importance of professionalism in the teaching fraternity and for school heads to communicate with divisional education officers rather than going directly to the minister.

“There are a lot of HR issues, which should reach us on time,” Ms Akbar said.

She told some teachers that the acting positions they held was a privilege and they should perform their duties diligently.

“I taught for 25 years and left the ministry while on an acting position,” the minister said.

“Whether you’re acting or confirmed, we want you to do your best, because we’re paying you 95 per cent of the salary.

“Some acting positions will continue while some have been revoked due to disciplinary issues.”

All primary school heads posts advertised last year will be filled in 2020, secondary school heads post will be advertised this year.

All leadership positions will go through an open merit recruit system.

Ms Akbar told school heads to work together to set a higher bench mark for 2020. The percentage pass from 2016 to 2019 had gradually increased after the ministry removed the scaling system in 2016.

While the percentage pass was evident for Year 12 and Year 13 results, there was a slight increase for Year Six, Eight and Year 10 results.

Conveying her appreciation of the pleasing results, Ms Akbar reminded school heads to step up all areas of responsibility.

So far, 88 schools have received the free education grant as school heads had sent updated information through FEMIS. Ms Akbar said those schools that had not received their share of grant was the result of not sending the needed information through FEMIS.

Minister Akbar assures Graduates

Graduate teachers in the Northern Division have been seeking an appointment with the minister.

These graduates eagerly waited for Ms Akbar at the Labasa Civic Centre on Thursday. Ms Akbar took a few minutes to listen to their requests.

She asked them if they were willing to travel outside of Labasa for their appointments to which all of them agreed, as long as they received a teaching contract. Ms Akbar said she would see if their subject combination met the needs of vacancies available.