Vernacular Language in Parlt Ok
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has approved the use of vernacular languages to be spoken during Parliament sittings.
It reinforces the coalition Government’s push to promote and preserve vernacular in Fiji.
This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Biman Prasad, during the official launch of the 12th Hindi Conference at Civic Centre in Suva on Tuesday. He said the coalition Government would ensure to pay special and specific attention to the teaching, promotion and preservation of the vernacular language, particularly Hindi and iTaukei in the country.
“We in the Government believe over the last several years, there has been attempt in some quarters to dilute the teaching, promotion and the publicity about Hindi and iTaukei Language in this country,” he said.
Mr Prasad said though he was not a linguistic expert but there have been many studies by linguist experts which suggest that having an absolutely good and calculated grasp of your mother tongue makes you even more intelligent and more equipped to master other languages.
New teachers to be hired from existing pool
The Ministry of Education has an existing pool of teachers that it will hire while new appointments and recruitment of teachers are on hold.
Line minister, Aseri Radrodro, said the appointment of teachers would be done when required.
“We cannot have students in classrooms without teachers so we will not be making new appointments, but using the existing pool,” he said.
These appointments will be made using the Open
“History of our (Fiji) relationship with India is a long one a historical one, traditional one, based on shared value a freedom, democracy, culture, religion, our language,” he said.
“This is a very fitting occasion while we celebrating the world Hindi day, we are also launching a historical 12th World Hindi Language conference in Fiji.
“Government will weigh the curriculum in school and will put in appropriate resources to ensure Hindi, once again get its special place as it had over the last 143 years.
“The Prime Minister has already announced, that the Girmit Dewas (arrival of the indenture labourers to Fiji), is going to be marked as the national holiday this year, and Hindi will be part and partial of that celebration, as part of our history,” he said.
Chief Justice Kamal Kumar who was also part of the official launch said language was very important to any culture and tradition to keep alive.
The conference will be taking place in Nadi from February 15-17.
Merit Recruitment and Selection Guideline (OMRSG). Mr Radrodro said the guideline was not on hold, it would be used for hiring teachers in spite of the Ministry of Civil Service instruction.
Withholding new appointments that came into effect last week was a measure of phasing out existing employment policies and introducing new ones.
“We have people in the pool and as and when required, teachers will be appointed as per the need in the classroom,” he said.