The Ministry of Education has identified the main reasons behind the overcrowding of boarding schools around the country annually.

Appearing on FBC TV 4 The Record programme last night Education Minister says upon closer examination it was found out that some schools were going against their own school policies in selecting students to be admitted.

Schools like Queen Victoria School, Ratu Kadavulevu School and Adi Cakobau School were amongst schools identified.

“What will happen is that children of the alumni – the old boys and girls – their children will be taken in. Two those teachers who studied at RKS, QVS and ACS will identify students who are bright and performing well and get them to admitted into these schools. Number three the principals will go and attend the athletes meet and identifies the top performers.”

He adds that the these schools also go against their student ratio which dictates them to have 80 percent of their students from Maritime regions.

“Initially the idea was for these schools to be the centre of academic excellence it has gradually moved away from that. They have moved to being a centre of housing the children of the alumni therefore depriving of the rightful place of the 60% of the students that should originate from rural and maritime.”

Dr Reddy says they are looking to expand the boarding facilities to accommodate these displaced students and a review of the existing policies will help make this possible.