[Photo: FILE]

More than 200 registered teachers remain without school placements despite ongoing staffing needs across schools.

In a written response to Parliament, Education Minister Aseri Radrodro revealed that 202 teachers registered with the Fiji Teachers Registration Authority had not yet been placed in schools as of 25 May 2026.

The largest number comes from Early Childhood Education, where 128 teachers remain without placements. This includes 109 diploma holders, 17 degree holders and two certificate holders.

The Minister said there are also six unplaced teachers in primary education, 66 in secondary education and two in special inclusive education.

Among secondary teachers still awaiting placement are graduates qualified in Accounting and Economics, Mathematics and Physics, Biology and Chemistry, Geography and History, Agriculture, Home Economics, Industrial Arts and Information Technology.

The figures were released in response to questions from Opposition MP Premila Kumar, who asked the Minister to provide the number of registered teachers still awaiting placement and the number of teaching vacancies that remain unfilled across early childhood, primary and secondary schools.

While the Ministry confirmed the number of unplaced teachers, it did not provide a breakdown of current vacancies across the school system.

Instead, Radrodro outlined the process used to fill vacant teaching posts.

He said when a vacancy arises, school heads complete a Teacher Replacement Form and a Recommendation Excel Form listing qualified teachers for consideration.

The recommendations are then sent to District Education Officers, who assess candidates using Teacher Criteria Guidelines that set out the required qualifications and conditions for each position.

Radrodro states that if a recommended teacher does not meet the required criteria, district officers make alternative recommendations from within their districts before the final appointment is processed by the Ministry Headquarters.