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Category: Aseri Radrodro

  • Fiji can’t compete with Australia and NZ on teacher salaries, says deputy PM

    By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/bulletin editor

    Fiji cannot compete with Australia and New Zealand to retain its teachers, the man in charge of the country’s finances says.

    The Fijian education system is facing major challenges as the Sitiveni Rabuka-led coalition struggles to address a teacher shortage.

    While the education sector receives a significant chunk of the budget (about NZ$587 million), it has not been sufficient, as global demand for skilled teachers is pulling qualified Fijian educators toward greener pastures.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Biman Prasad said that the government was training more teachers.

    “The government has put in measures, we are training enough teachers, but we are also losing teachers to Australia and New Zealand,” he told RNZ Pacific Waves on the sidelines of the University of the South Pacific Council meeting in Auckland last week.

    “We are happy that Australia and New Zealand gain those skills, particularly in the area of maths and science, where you have a shortage. And obviously, Fiji cannot match the salaries that teachers get in Australia and New Zealand.

    Pal Ahluwalia, Biman Prasad and Aseri Radrodro at the opening of the 99th USP Council Meeting at Auckland University. 20 May 2025
    USP vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia, Fiji’s Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad and Education Minister Aseri Radrodro at the opening of the 99th USP Council Meeting at Auckland University last week. Image: RNZ Pacific/Lydia Lewis

    According to the Education Ministry’s Strategic Development Plan (2023-2026), the shortage of teachers is one of the key challenges, alongside limited resources and inadequate infrastructure, particularly for primary schools.

    Hundreds of vacancies
    Reports in local media in August last year said there were hundreds of teacher vacancies that needed to be filled.

    However, Professor Prasad said there were a lot of teachers who were staying in Fiji as the government was taking steps to keep teachers in the country.

    “We are training more teachers. We are putting additional funding, in terms of making sure that we provide the right environment, right support to our teachers,” he said.

    “In the last two years, we have increased the salaries of the civil service right across the board, and those salaries and wages range from between 10 to 20 percent.

    “We are again going to look at how we can rationalise some of the positions within the Education Ministry, right from preschool up to high school.”

    Meanwhile, the Fiji government is currently undertaking a review of the Education Act 1966.

    Education Minister Aseri Radrodro said in Parliament last month that a draft bill was expected to be submitted to Cabinet in July.

    “The Education Act 1966, the foundational law for pre-tertiary education in Fiji, has only been amended a few times since its promulgation, and has not undergone a comprehensive review,” he said.

    “It is imperative that this legislation be updated to reflect modern standards and address current issues within the education system.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Lynda Tabuya fights back – ‘it’s unfortunate that as a woman I continue to be targeted’

    By Finau Fonua, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Fiji’s Women’s Minister Lynda Tabuya says the decision by the People’s Alliance executive council to remove her as deputy leader of the governing party is “unfair as it is based solely on allegations . . . generated by opponents from outside the party”.

    Tabuya, who has been at the centre of an alleged sex and drug scandal with the sacked Education Minister Aseri Radrodro, was removed from the position on Monday.

    According to the People’s Alliance, the scandal and associated allegations involving Tabuya had caused “potentially irreparable damage” to the party.

    However, in a statement to RNZ Pacific today, Tabuya said she was “disappointed with the two lawyers in the legal and disciplinary subcommittee who have based their recommendations on allegations published on social media which is aimed to weaken the Coalition and weaken the party”.

    “It is a dangerous precedent to set that by applying the constitution of the party they have based their decision to remove me as deputy party leader on allegations which they perceive as potentially causing damage,” she said.

    “This comes as no surprise as these very same people opposed my appointment to be deputy party leader before the elections in 2022, so they have pounced on this opportunity to do so.

    “It’s most unfortunate that as a woman I continue to be targeted with my removal last year as leader of government business and now as deputy party leader.”

    She said the party must stand for fairness and justice and applying the law equally based on evidence and facts, not allegations

    RNZ Pacific has contacted the People’s Alliance general secretary for comment.

    Reaction expected
    The publisher of Grubsheet, Graham Davis, who first reported — along with Fijileaks — about the scandal involving Tabuya and Radrodro, said Tabuya was attempting to “muddy the waters” with her reaction.

    “It is telling that Lynda Tabuya doesn’t directly address the allegations against her that the PAP executive council has found to be proven on the recommendation of its disciplinary committee — including at least two lawyers — after a detailed examination of the evidence first reported by Fijileaks and Grubsheet,” he told RNZ Pacific.

    “To turn her fire on the PAP in a vain attempt to muddy the waters is to be expected.”

    Meanwhile, Tabuya remains a cabinet minister despite being removed as PAP deputy party leader.

    According to the Fiji Sun newspaper, only Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka can remove her from cabinet, as per the 2013 Constitution.

    “The Fiji Sun has been reliably informed that the PM is seeking legal opinion before making his call,” the newspaper reported.

    Rabuka is currently on official travel in Australia.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Rabuka stands firm on sacking decision – coalition at risk

    By Temalesi Vono in Suva

    Fiji’s fired Education Minister Aseri Radrodro rebuffed three letters from the Prime Minister and legal advice from the Solicitor-General that led to his sacking as a cabinet minister, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka revealed yesterday.

    Rabuka also said he wrote twice to the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) leader Viliame Gavoka and met him once to discuss Radrodro’s non-compliance to his directives to reappoint members of the Fiji National University Council who he had sacked.

    “I requested honourable Gavoka to urge the SODELPA Management Board to consider taking action to ensure the unlawful decisions outlined above, are rescinded, as it could invite serious legal consequences for the Coalition Government,” said Rabuka.

    He added that Radrodro would cease to be minister from today.

    “Honourable Radrodro may attend his former office to remove his personal items and honourable Gavoka may request him for a handover-briefing on his return from official travel.”

    Rabuka had announced the sacking of Radrodro for “insubordination and disobedience” via social media platform Facebook.

    RNZ Pacific reports that Fiji’s three-party coalition government is at risk of collapse after just over 12 months in power following the dismissal of Radrodo, with calls for Rabuka to step down as prime minister.

    Radrodro — who is one of three MPs from the kingmaker party, Sodelpa — told local media the sacking came as a surprise, saying he only received a letter of his dismissal after it had been announced on social media.

    He told local media he was not sure if he remained an MP.

    However, the Cabinet and Parliament are two separate institutions independent of each other and Radrodro remains a parliamentarian.

    Aseri Radrodro
    Sodelpa’s Aseri Radrodro . . . dimissed for “insubordination and disobedience”. Image: Republic of Fiji Parliament/RNZ Pacific

    According to the Standing Orders, only Parliament can remove an MP either for disciplinary reasons through a process in Parliament as provided for in the Constitution or in any law or if an MP Member is expelled by his/her party, or he/she resigns from the party, under which the party formally informs the Speaker of such a resignation or expulsion.

    Temalesi Vono is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission. This article is also republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Fiji’s Radrodro dismissed after ‘due process’, says Rabuka

    By Timoci Vula

    Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the decision to dismiss Education Minister Aseri Radrodro from cabinet was taken after due process had been followed.

    Rabuka had issued a public statement to announce Radrodro’s dismissal on January 19 with effect from tomorrow (January 22), citing “insubordination and disobedience” to his directive.

    He said he had written three letters to Radrodro since September last year, and had also held discussions with SODELPA leader and Deputy PM Viliame Gavoka last October, which was followed up by another letter in early November.

    The Prime Minister said he was also advised that during his absence, then then-acting PM, Deputy PM and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica, had also advised Radrodro to comply with the legal advice from the Solicitor-General regarding the reinstatement of members of the Fiji National University (FNU) Council whom he had terminated.

    “I wish to clarify that my public statement on the dismissal was published only after confirmation of the dispatch of letters to Hon. Radrodro and His Excellency the President and Honourable Speaker on Friday 19/1/24.”

    Background:

    • Radrodro had terminated the appointment of the chairperson and three members of the Fiji National University (FNU) Council in May 2023;
    • Thereafter, he was advised by the Solicitor-General’s Office that the decision was unlawful and must be withdrawn;
    • Members of the FNU Council can only be terminated in limited circumstances and with a two-thirds majority vote of the Council during their meeting and only after the members have been provided an opportunity to be heard;
    • The Solicitor-General also met with Radrodro to urge him to comply with the legal advice given;
    • Despite the PM’s “very clear” written directive and discussions with Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica, Radrodro failed to comply with the PM’s directive.

    Timoci Vula is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.