The Ministry of Education’s free textbook initiative will begin with the Eastern Division primary schools from today. Essential textbooks for Classes 1 to 8 have been packaged and are now ready for dispatch starting with Kadavu schools.
Head Teachers from Lomaiviti, Kadavu, Lau and Rotuma are advised to make the necessary arrangements for the collection and shipment of these books so that students receive their textbooks on Day 1 of Term 1, 2010.
Books can be collected from the Divisional Education Officer- Eastern’s Office at the Ham Bing Nam Building at Suva Street from today.
However, before the textbooks are dispatched, the head teachers will be briefed on how to receive and enter the books into an appropriate recording system within the school. They will also be briefed on the need to take care of the books during the year and ensure safe return at the end of the year.
These processes are essential to be taken note of as textbooks issued now must have a life span of more than five years before any request for replacement is made by the schools. The decision to start the distribution with the Eastern Division is due to the geographical isolation of these islands and the challenges they face with regards to obtaining educational resources from the main centres.
Once the distribution in the Eastern Division is completed, schools in the Northern Division will be the next recipients followed by those in the West. Schools in the Central Division will be distributed their texts to complete the exercise for primary schools.
This exercise is to assist economically disadvantaged families, who are finding difficulties in paying for their children’s education. This is also a move that is targeted at providing free education for all students and at the same improve the quality of education in Fiji.
All primary schools are expected to be assisted by 2011 before it is implemented for secondary schools beginning in 2012.