The Fiji Teachers Union is against the Education Ministry’s decision that newly-recruited teachers and those nearing the end of their contracts must pass an English examination and a job test.

FTU General Secretary Agni Deo Singh says the decision is ill-conceived considering the years teaching graduates spent learning.

Singh says English tests should be administered to ensure students are up to a standard required to be trained as teachers.

“Teachers who are now ready to teach after graduating cannot be penalized with the test being administered now, what we need to do is to assist them to upgrade their level of English because they have taken loans from TELS or they would did that privately and there is no other job they can get.”

Education Permanent Secretary Iowane Tiko says the need for graduates to pass the test is a measure more for the benefit of the students than for the teachers.

Meanwhile, existing teachers whose contract is about to end are required to sit for the two tests to determine if their contract will be renewed.