The Ministry of Education will begin training school leaders and management this week on building awareness on the direction set out with the free education announced in the 2014 National Budget.
Following the National Budget address by the Prime Minister, the Ministry will now provide adequate training with all schools in the country including management officials. The training will take place in different venues across the country. It is also the preparatory phase for all school leaders and managements on good governance and high ethical standards before the grants are disbursed to them by the 10th of January, 2014.
The new budget for 2014 will see the payment of $250 per child per year for all primary students and $440 for Forms 3 & 4, $485 for Forms 5 & 6 and $610 for Form 7 in all secondary schools. The only group exempted from these free grants is the 16 private schools and the international students. The roll that will be used to define the amount payable to schools in Term 1 will be the school roll for Term 3, 2013.
The Ministry of Education today engaged all district education officials to prepare for the financial management workshop which will begin in all the 9 education districts from Wednesday, the 4th of December. District education officers will be mobilized from tomorrow to move into their districts with relevant sections from the headquarters and provide training on financial management to all school leaders and management. This new initiative from the government is in line with Pillar 9 of the charter in making Fiji knowledge based society.
All school leadersand managements are requested to contact their district education office for further advice if they are still not sure of the training venue.