The coalition government will prioritize the reduction of the teacher-student ratio during the upcoming 2024 Academic Year.

Currently, some primary and secondary schools are struggling with a ratio of one teacher to fifty students.

Finance Minister, Professor Biman Prasad says the government has placed a high priority on decreasing class sizes to a more manageable level.

“One of the things that we will focus on next year is to ensure that we are able to reduce the class sizes, reduce the staff student ratio to management level so that teachers can teach students properly – that will be our focus.”

Fijian Teachers Association President, Netani Druavesi says bringing the ratio back to the previous level of one teacher to thirty students will enhance the effectiveness of teaching.

“The numbers that we have in our schools, in our various classrooms now is 40 or 50 to one teacher – that is Primary School. Likewise to High Schools. So, it is good to have it down to normal 1: 30, one teacher to 30 students. That will be ok.”

The new school year will start on January 29th.