Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro

Following a lapse of nine years, the Education Forum reconvened today to reshape education policy to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.

Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro urged stakeholders to come together in addressing pressing issues such as inclusivity, teacher development, and a worrying drop in the number of male students progressing from primary to secondary school.

Radrodro says, there is a need to take bold steps to ensure all children have the same opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or location.

“We must ensure digital tools and platforms are accessible to learners in rural and maritime communities and that no child is left behind in our digital transition. We must bridge the gap in universal access and equity. For too many students, especially girls and children with disabilities and those in remote areas, barriers to full participation still exist.

He also highlighted the need to align the curriculum with modern job market demands.

Education must prepare students not only for exams but also for life. That means teaching practical and digital skills, encouraging creativity, and promoting critical thinking.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Education Meli Nacuva called for a broader set of indicators that better reflect student engagement and learning out-comes.

“Right now, the thing that everybody seems to talk about is our pass rate, pass rate, pass rate, year in and year out. What other indicators are there that we can use to properly diagnose the performance of our schools, the performance of our students, and the engagement level that we have?”

The forum aims to lay the groundwork for an education system that is inclusive, future-ready, and capable of adapting to the evolving needs of learners across Fiji.

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