Kelera Ditaiki 
Fiji Teachers Union. [Photo: FILE]
Around 600 graduate, secondary-trained teachers working in primary schools are being paid less than they deserve, despite holding recognised qualifications.
Fiji Teachers Union General Secretary Muniappa Goundar says these teachers are currently classified as “unqualified” and are not receiving graduate salaries.
Goundar says they should be paid at the graduate level, regardless of whether they are teaching in primary or secondary schools.
In the 2026-2027 budget proposal, the union raised that underpaid wages to teachers is one of many reason driving teachers overseas.
“And these teachers are not paid the graduate salary. They are not paid the graduate salary. They are classified as unqualified teachers.
After you stand, they are graduates, and they need to be paid the graduate salary. Graduates are graduates, right? Whether they are in primary or secondary.”
He says that nearly two teachers are leaving Fiji’s schools every day, amounting to more than 700 teachers annually.
Itaukei Teacher Association GS also reiterated that there is a need to increase wage or introduction of incentives to school teachers.
The union says that the government needs to step in, or the situation will worsen if measures are not undertaken.
