Praneeta Prakash 
A senior academic is calling for urgent changes in Fiji’s education system.
The concern comes as more students enter university unprepared for the demands of their chosen courses.
FNU’s Associate Professor Dr Jimaima Lako says there’s a growing gap between what students study in high school and what’s required at tertiary level.
“A lot of students are coming and mostly not up to par to our minimum entry requirement that we develop. And that’s why most of us actually develop a bridging course to those who cannot basically align to our program. And I think one of the major problems I also see is the options of subjects in secondary schools. There are different and I think wrong combinations of subjects aligning to the career that the students want to do in the future.”
Dr Lako believes high school subject choices must be tied to long-term pathways, not just short-term interests.
“Most of the schools are basically competing to have 100% pass rate, but that’s not important. What is important is what the students gain to align themselves to what they want to their career in the future. We are here to, you know, to help and to support the students move in that direction.”
Education experts say it’s time for a joined-up approach across schools and universities.
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