The Higher Education Commission Fiji is working to strengthen standards and safeguard students amid growing concerns over unregulated overseas student recruitment practices.

This was highlighted during an Inter-Agency Stakeholders Talanoa Session held today at the HECF, which brought together key representatives from the Ministry of Immigration, Vodafone Fiji, the Consumer Council of Fiji, the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, the Ministry of Justice, and the Tertiary Education Loan Service.

HECF Chair Steve Chand says the Commission is the government’s independent regulator for higher education, overseeing all education providers and recruitment activities beyond Year 13 under the Higher Education Act of 2008, which is currently under review.

He emphasized the importance of clearly defined roles among stakeholders to prevent overlap, while collectively working towards safeguarding students, enhancing standards, and ensuring a trusted recruitment system.

Chand noted that the current system governing student recruitment agencies remains poorly coordinated and inadequately regulated.

He says some agencies operate outside the legal framework, exposing students and parents to serious risks.

He also raised concerns about agencies exploiting regulatory loopholes by operating under business visas, conducting recruitment activities in hotels, and engaging parents desperate to secure overseas education opportunities for their children.

According to HECF, such practices have contributed to financial losses for families and, in more serious cases, left students vulnerable to exploitation abroad.

Chand reiterates that only institutions and agencies that are registered and regulated under the Act will be permitted to operate, warning that those operating outside its scope will face the full force of the law.

The Chair says a clear, enforceable, and coordinated policy framework is urgently needed to restore order to the sector, protect students, and preserve the integrity of Fiji’s higher education system.

Stakeholders were urged to actively participate in ongoing efforts to close regulatory gaps, improve awareness among parents and students, and ensure ethical recruitment practices moving forward.

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