Workshops hosted by the University’s Education Discipline and mandated by the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) aim to educate and create national tools for quality education for implementation in Fiji.
The workshops discussed PacREF’s activities, which included Pre-Service Teacher Education Curriculum Review, Co-re-designing of Induction and Mentoring Practice, and Policy Advice in Teacher Deployment and Utilisation, all of which would be implemented collaboratively in Fiji.
USP’s Deputy Head (Learning, Teaching and Quality) at the School of Pacific Arts, Communication and Education, Dr Rosiana Lagi stated the team conducted workshops in the Northern and Western Divisions including Suva.
“An average of 36 participants attended per venue. The workshop included individual interviews, surveys and focus group discussions,” she mentioned.
Dr Lagi stated the participants’ perspectives would inform current practices and policies, and its effects on students, teachers, schools, and communities. This would also include opportunities to develop national tools to address educational needs and therefore transform education quality in Fiji.
The workshop was part of the Education Discipline’s activities to achieve the work mandated by PacREF including addressing quality in Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher education pre-service curriculum; collaborating with Teacher Education Institutions to review, renew or co-design a ‘fit for purpose’ induction/mentoring programme for beginning teachers; and providing Ministries of Education with policy advice and facilitation of policy development and implementation on teacher deployment and utilisation.
Dr Lagi said participants would be able to share their experiences in the various areas of discussion to bridge the gap between the different levels of ECE, Primary, and Secondary Schools.
“More importantly, they recognise they are not alone in their struggles and that they can work together to address the educational needs in their schools. Participants will also have the opportunity to network with other teachers with similar areas of expertise as well as with Advisers from the Ministry of Education,” she continued.
Dr Lagi further said the contributions from the workshop would further assist in shaping the national tools that are being developed for submission to the Ministry of Education.
“We are grateful to the Ministry of Education for allowing their teachers and Advisors to attend these critical workshops,” she said.
PacREF is a 12-year project endorsed by 15 Pacific Heads of Education Systems to address educational issues in Fiji, FSM, Kiribati, Niue, PNG, RMI, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Samoa, Palau, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Cook Islands, Tokelau.
