Vasenai Soqo 
[File Photo]
The Great Council of Chiefs suggests that Na Vosa Vaka-Viti (the iTaukei language) should be a compulsory subject in all primary schools.
Chair Viliame Seruvakula stresses that unlike global languages with large international speaker bases, the iTaukei language has no external homeland.
He adds that if the indigenous language declines in Fiji, it declines everywhere.
During their submission to the Constitution Review Commission, the Chair also touched on other languages spoken in Fiji.
“Conventional Fiji Hindi and other languages should remain available as elective subjects (5:09) based on community demand and school capacity. On early childhood medium of instruction, from early childhood education to Year 3, the main medium of instruction should be the indigenous vernacular or mother tongue of the majority student cohort. Early learning in the mother tongue supports literacy, numeracy, confidence, and cognitive development, especially in rural and maritime schools.”
Seruvakula added that they recommend legal affirmative action in education, including targeted scholarships, development funds, and support for iTaukei, Rotuman, rural, maritime, and other disadvantaged students.
He adds that they recommend restoring ethnic disaggregated education data across national examinations.
He stresses that without proper data, the state cannot see where the disadvantage lies and cannot fairly allocate resources.
The GCC recommends that different resourcing formulas should be used to distribute funds to schools, as a flat per-student funding model favors large urban schools.
He states that funding should consider remoteness, low enrollment, poverty, utilities, access, transport, and school vulnerability.
