Bose Vavataga 
File
The Education Ministry is moving to redeploy existing teachers before recruiting more, amid concerns that some schools are providing inaccurate staffing information.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro has warned some head teachers against hiding teachers in ER5 staffing returns, saying inaccurate data could lead to the wrong recruitment decisions.
He says schools with excess teachers could have staff redeployed to schools facing genuine shortages instead of the Ministry recruiting more teachers.
“Some are hiding teachers in the ER5 form. You know who you are and you need to improve on the quality and the accuracy of data that you fill in in your ER5.”
Radrodro says the Ministry is reviewing teachers’ qualifications, locations and the staffing needs of individual schools as part of its redeployment exercise.
The Ministry is also cross-checking ER5 information against records from schools and education divisions.
He says accurate data is critical to ensuring teachers are placed where they are most needed.
The Minister made the comments while opening the Fiji Head Teachers Association’s 43rd Annual Conference in Nadi.
