University of Fiji Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem has provided assurance that all medical science staff lecturing in the degree programmes have Master’s or PhD qualifications.

She was responding to claims made by Standing Committee on Public Accounts member Alvick Maharaj who raised concerns about the qualifications of lecturers teaching at two universities.

Maharaj had questioned the Medical and Dental Secretariat about reports that diploma holders are teaching students enrolled in degree programs at two universities.

He claimed that in some cases, diploma holders are teaching degree-level students, including those studying medicine, which could affect the quality of education and, more importantly, the safety of future patients.

In a statement, Professor Shameem says all their lecturers in are appropriately qualified in accordance with the Fiji Higher Education Commission requirements.

She says these qualifications are initially approved by the Fiji Medical and Dental Council prior to being endorsed by HECF.

The Professor adds that Umanand Prasad School of Medicine and Health Science lecturers are highly qualified with final year MBBS students being taught by medical specialists including Professor Ifereimi Waqainabete.

She says the Nursing Department is headed by Dr Akisi Ravono, a well-known nursing professional.

She further says that most medical lecturers have Master’s qualifications, and are more than capable of lecturing at undergraduate levels in all the UPSM and HS programmes.

The Vice Chancellor also says that UniFiji’s medical graduates are highly regarded in the hospitals once they had graduated.

She says that a 2024 external review of the University of Fiji by a group of consultants engaged by HECF to review all three universities in Fiji had specifically mentioned that UPSM & HS is offering exemplary medical education, alongside the law programme taught by the University’s JDP School of Law.

The UniFiji Vice Chancellor also says that their human resources policies established the Minimum Qualification Requirement for all academic positions at the University of Fiji and this was closely monitored at the Vice Chancellor’s level.

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