The Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro, says three terms is enough to cater for students and teachers, as this has been the practice from before.
Radrodro was responding to Opposition MP, Premila Kumar, who labelled the move by the Coalition Government to revert to the three school terms per year, as repressive.
The Minister of Education also shot out at the former Minister of Education, saying that if consultations were done by her administration, then the Ministry is saying not enough was done.
“The four terms were done to accommodate for the COVID-19 setbacks, however, we have managed that, and we must now retain the school term that has worked well with teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders.”
“The Coalition Government feels that not enough consultations were done, and no matter how logical a rationale provided is, unless the people affected by policy decisions accept and feel a part of the process of consultations, they will not take kindly to change.”
“Fiji has always had three school terms and any subsequent change will require more robust discussions including parents and guardians as well as with students themselves,” the Minister added.
The Ministry of Education highlighted that all relevant stakeholders need to be engaged to discuss such a major policy direction, and any consultation for major policy changes needs all stakeholders.
Radrodro said Government believes in proper and engaging consultations and until then, the three school terms for the calendar year will be retained.
