[File Photo]

Education Permanent Secretary Selina Kuruleca says that the Ministry intends to reassess its priorities in the upcoming financial year.

Kuruleca stated that she believes early childhood education should take precedence, as laying a strong foundation is crucial.

She says that Fiji’s education system currently places significant emphasis on secondary, primary, and tertiary education, while early childhood education is at the bottom of its priority list.

The Permanent Secretary indicated that part of the Ministry’s budget submission is to improve ECE.

“We are definitely looking at strengthening our ECE; strengthening it means looking at the teachers, teacher age, as well as the salaries, the space in which these ECEs are located, and the resourcing of the ECE.”

PS Education, Selina Kuruleca

Kuruleca reveals her intention to introduce vernacular and traditional learning in ECE, and there are discussions with stakeholders, including the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs.

“So for me, ECE is the foundation; we need to get vernacular in there; we need to relook at our tradition and culture, even the relationships; you’re from Vanua Levu; I’m from Lomaiviti; what’s our relationship?”

The Permanent Secretary also agrees that the loss of values among students is of great concern.

She says teaching students about these values is critical, as it is easy to implement good behaviour at tender ages.