Few professions touch as many lives as that of a great teacher and on this World Teachers' Day, all Fijians should pause for a moment to reflect on the immense impact that Fijian teachers have not only on our youths, but on the very future of our country.
This is the message of Minister for Education Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum as schools around the country today celebrate World Teachers’ Day.
Sayed Khaiyum says that teachers shape the minds of our students during the most impressionable years of their lives, and a single lesson in the classroom could help shape the course of a growing and curious child's life.
He says that government, like Fijian parents, entrusts teachers with forming the future and the Education Minister acknowledges all teachers in Fiji for the instrumental role they play in progressing our people.
Sayed-Khaiyum says government is working to ensure that teachers are no longer burdened by bureaucracy, but are treated fairly, in a transparent manner, that allows them to focus on results in the classroom.
He also highlighted that government is working to ensure that curriculum is no longer outdated or ill‑fitted to today's students, but is both modern and customised to different abilities.
The Education Minister says government is also working to ensure that more students doesn't mean less personal attention in the classroom, but more, by markedly improving teacher‑student ratios.
Sayed Khaiyum has also encouraged all teachers to take full advantage of the many new opportunities that these changes bring.
He says that government will be creating new training modules that help Fiji teachers to fill new, higher‑paying positions adding that teachers will also have the chance to harness the spirit of education by opening their minds to new skills and perspective, and be financially rewarded for doing so.
