FTRA Chief Executive Sangeeta Singh [File Photo]

The Fiji Teachers Registration Authority has deregistered 134 in-service teachers.

It claims that these teachers made no effort to renew their membership, which is mandatory.

The FTRA says despite repeated reminders, these teachers continued working in classrooms without valid registration.

FTRA Chief Executive Sangeeta Singh says many of the teachers could not be reached, raising serious concerns about accountability and compliance.

Singh confirmed that the deregistered educators came from both the public and private education systems, including early childhood, primary and secondary levels.

“Because in some cases we are unable to contact them despite leaving so many messages because of the network, they are not checking their emails and things like that. But the ministry is aware, and they are sorting it out.”

Singh states that deregistration means these teachers are now legally barred from classroom teaching until they rectify their status.

“So if the employer wishes to retain them, they could be given non-teaching duties as public servants. However, teaching students with-out teacher registration is not allowed.”

Fijian Teachers Association General Secretary Paula Manumanunitoga al-so backed the FTRA’s decision, reinforcing that rules are in place for a rea-son.

“They must have their registration renewed every year for some, every three years for others. So if they get deregistered, then they should not be; they are not qualified or they are not legally qualified to be teaching in any classroom in this country.”

Teaching without registration, according to the FTRA, undermines the integrity of the system, and the failure to comply reflects not only on the individual teachers but also on the institutions that employ them.

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