The Minister for Education, Hon. Aseri Radrodro, officiated the opening of the 47th Fiji Early Childhood Teachers Association (FECTA) Conference and the national launch of the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Training Package and Training of Trainers at Penang Sangam High School in Rakiraki.
This was the first time the national conference was hosted in Ra, marking a historic first for early childhood education in the province. The event brought together teachers, partners, and education stakeholders to strengthen the quality of early learning across Fiji.
Minister Radrodro highlighted FECTA’s pivotal role in shaping early childhood education through Na Noda Mataniciva, Fiji’s national ECE curriculum guideline. First developed 17 years ago, the curriculum is now being updated with UNICEF support to include early literacy and early numeracy, ensuring it meets the needs of today’s children and teachers. Na Noda Mataniciva continues to guide ECE teaching in Fiji and has influenced early learning across the Pacific.
The Coalition Government has increased its commitment to early childhood education with a $32 million budget allocation this year, a $10 million increase from the previous year. This ensures that 1,423 teachers across 873 centres are now full-time staff, supporting over 18,000 children in pre-primary education. The rollout of full-day pre-primary programs began on 1 August 2025 in all Ministry-registered centres, providing more structured learning opportunities while supporting parents and communities.
The conference also hosted the national launch of the SEL Training Package, developed with support from the Government of Japan and regional partners. The initiative equips teachers with practical skills to foster children’s resilience, empathy, and confidence during their formative years.
Minister Radrodro emphasised the importance of professionalism and accountability among early childhood teachers, noting that their work lays the foundation for Fiji’s future generations. Heads of Schools were reminded of their role in providing strong supervision and support. Teachers were also reminded that all official concerns and queries should be submitted through district offices to ensure fairness, accountability, and respect for teachers, leaders, and children, while maintaining proper professional communication channels.
The Ministry continues to work closely with FECTA and development partners to improve early literacy and numeracy, review curriculum frameworks, and ensure that every child in Fiji has access to quality early learning.