The Ministry of Education refutes the claim that once a person is registered with Fiji Teacher Registration Board (FTRB), the person automatically becomes an employee of the Ministry of Education as a school teacher.
However, the Ministry of Education wishes to notify the public that it is mandatory under the FTRB promulgation 2008 for all personnel who wishes to enter any schools in Fiji either primary or secondary or post secondary for the purpose of imparting knowledge are to register first with the Fiji Teachers Registration Board.
People who fail to comply with the provisions of the Promulgation are liable for prosecution.
Teacher Registration and Teacher Employment are totally two different issues.
Teaching positions in the schools is the responsibility of either the Primary or Secondary Section of the Ministry of Education, whereas the registration of teachers is the responsibility of the Fiji Teachers Registration Board.
The ministry also wishes to urge all newly appointed teachers to register before entering any classroom this year.
Similarly, all School Teachers and Education Officers who registered in 2009 need to validate their registration for 2010 before the 25th of January.
The validation of Teachers who registered under Limited Authority to teach in 2009 will end in December, 2010.
To date about 10 635 teachers who have registered under the FTRB and this year about 162 new teachers have registered.
Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts, Youth and Sports, Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, Mr Filipe Bole