Litia Cava 
[Photo: FILE]
Fiji has no legislated quality assurance system for Early Childhood Education.
Private and non-private providers operate without regulation.
Education Commission Commissioner Anaseini Raivoce told the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights that without a statutory mandate, Early Childhood Education Development Quality Standards will remain fragmented and unenforceable.
Raivoce said the commission proposes a framework under the independent National Curriculum and Assessment Authority.
The ECED Quality Assurance Framework would cover registration and licensing, curriculum expectations, workforce qualifications and continuous improvement of early childhood institutions.
She added that the framework’s content should be prescribed in regulations and published. This ensures standards can evolve as needed.
Raivoce emphasized that these responsibilities would be part of the authority’s core functions.
She cited international examples, including Australia’s Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, New Zealand’s Education Review Office and the UK’s Ofsted. All operate under enabling legislation to enforce quality standards.
Raivoce said that a statutory framework was essential to prevent fragmentation and protect the quality of early childhood education across Fiji.
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