Teacher unions hit out at slash in funds
THE country’s two teacher unions have reacted strongly against the Ministry of Education’s decision to slash the free education grant to schools.
They claimed the move would affect the quality of education in Fiji.
The unions further claimed the diminished grants indicated that Government did not have enough funds to finance the initiative.
Sukhendra Lal, the ministry’s director finance, first revealed the reduction during a school leaders and managers meeting at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Suva this week.
He said this was being done because of the reduced budgetary allocation to the ministry this year.
“With the overall reduction across the ministry, it is prudent that we reduce the free education grant because it would not be that sustainable if we look at it from our headquarters function as well,” Mr Lal said. “This time around we won’t be able to absorb the budgetary deficit internally, but we have to look into the free education grant in-depth.”
Mr Lal said the ministry was now managing the grant of 53 schools because of audit issues.
“Those 53 schools are still able to maintain the same level of teaching and learning, provide the resources and they still have savings for capital projects.
“So I do not see any way that you won’t be able to manage your school with the reduction that is there, which is overall $2.7 million.”
Fijian Teachers Association general secretary Paula Manumanunitoga said Government had taken the responsibility off parents to pay student fees in the first place and questioned the decision to reduce the grant.
“We at FTA are strongly denouncing the decision of the MOE to cut the grant and our humble plea is for them not to cut the grant or not to activate this move this year,” he said.
Mr Manumanunitoga said it would be unfair for school managements because they had a budget at the beginning of the year and it would be a challenge for schools to meet expenses with the reduction.
“We would also like to question the decision-makers, it is more like a trial and error thing.”
He claimed the delivery of quality education would be affected.
Fiji Teachers Union (FTU) general secretary Agni Deo Singh echoed similar sentiments, however, he said the union was expecting such measures to be taken after the reduction of the education sector’s budget by $200 million.
“We had also stated that we believe that there is a lack of funds in the Government’s caucus and that is why our increments for two years have not been paid and this is another blow to the quality of education,” he claimed.
“Schools are going to be seriously affected in terms of providing all the necessary resources.
“Managements will face some very serious challenges and I will not be surprised if there are cuts being made in other areas which are not known to the public.”
The education sector (including programs such as the loans scheme and grants to higher education institutions) allocation in the 2019-2020 budget is more than $800 million compared with $1 billion last year.
This marked a $200 million reduction.
Schools are going to be seriously affected in terms of providing all the necessary resources. – Agni Deo Singh