A major goal of technical education is to eliminate any forms of inequality in education, says the Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy.
Minister Reddy highlighted this at the gala dinner during the World TVET Conference in Suva last night.
He said the Fijian Government’s investment in technical, vocational education and training was also aimed at addressing gender parity in as far as access to education was concerned.
“Inequality between students with different aptitude so that choices are available. Inequality between students in urban areas and rural/maritime region hence, decentralising the campuses. Inequality amongst the two genders for Technical Education. The days where the probability of boys taking up Technical Education programmes far outweighed the number of girls is gone,” Minister Reddy said.
“We are motivating all girls and boys and men and women to enroll in technical education, and choose career pathways which they desire and not which are forced onto them.”
Minister Reddy said that to cater for children who do not have an aptitude for higher education studies, the Technical College of Fiji was established to offer skill-based level II studies.
There are 12 fully operational Technical College campuses Fiji-wide.
“After having the pioneer graduation ceremony of the first three campuses earlier in the year, within one month 70 per cent of all those students who graduated were absorbed in the workforce. The qualification offered here are all competency based.
“We also vocational centres operating in secondary schools in Fiji, offering specific programmes and training areas best suited to the interests and choices of the students from within that area,” Minister Reddy added.
He said the networking opportunities provided through the global conference will go a long way in assisting Fiji and the South Pacific countries in strengthening efforts towards quality technical education.
“TVET needs to be expanded but quality must be ensured. Students and Governments are investing their resources and we must ensure it is relevant to the industry as well pegged and delivered at an appropriate level in Qualifications Frame work.”