The Education Minister, Mr Filipe Bole, extends the Ministry’s well wishes to all teachers, students, parents and school committees as school begins tomorrow, January 25, 2010.
The Ministry hopes that everyone had enjoyed the 8 weeks holiday and are ready to tackle the challenges of the new academic year.
Staff meetings will be conducted throughout the country on Monday and this is an important meeting day for teachers as all will be briefed on their school’s and departmental plans and activities for the year.
In that regard, all teachers are expected to be in school before 8am tomorrow.
Boarding schools will begin their enrolment too tomorrow and the Ministry hopes that logistics behind the enrolment processes will be made easy for parents and guardians.
The Ministry would like to reiterate an earlier message this year by the Permanent Secretary for Education, Mr Filipe Jitoko, that no school should turn away any student because of non-payment of levies.
Government is paying free tuition for all students from Class 1 to Form 7 and it is after enrolment that schools submit their individual class/form roll. It is from this list that the Ministry will pay out tuition fees for each student.
For levies, this is an internal arrangement between the school and parents and a mutual and amicable solution must be sought so that students’ education is not hindered.
Again, the Ministry would like to remind all school committees and managements that under the Education Act (Part VII, Sections 19 & 20), no one has the authority to close any school except the Permanent Secretary for Education.
There are processes to be followed if a school committee has some grievances concerning the operations and administration of their school.
Anybody found in breach of this important clause will have to face the court of law.
Finally, the Ministry looks forward to another exciting year of hardwork, sacrifice and commitment towards the education of Fiji’s treasured future- our children.