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The Education Ministry has denied claims that Minister Aseri Radrodro unlawfully interfered in the dismissal of four senior human resources officers.

Acting Deputy Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Timoci Bure said the officers were terminated following a detailed internal review.

He stated that their removal was based on performance assessments and compliance with Ministry policies not political retaliation or abuse of power.

The matter is now before the courts with the former officers challenging their dismissal. Bure states that the Ministry is respecting due process and will comply with any ruling made by the judiciary.

He said claims that the dismissals were retaliatory are unfounded, noting that the officers were reappointed through formal recruitment processes during the Minister’s suspension and were only let go after returning to office and undergoing further assessment.

Bure also denied any wrongdoing by Radrodro in the hiring of a staff member from Parliament. He said the recruitment followed public service procedures and legal approvals. Sideways transfers are allowed under government rules and Parliament gave its formal release for the officer to join the Ministry.

He reiterated that all employment decisions followed the Employment Relations Act, the 2013 Constitution and relevant civil service guidelines. These frameworks require fair procedures, proper notice and access to mediation where disputes arise.

Bure added that the HR officers have lodged their grievances with the Employment Ministry’s Mediation Department, which is the proper legal channel for such matters.
He states that the Ministry will abide by any outcome.

He said the Minister has consistently supported fair, open and competitive recruitment and has directed HR to avoid internal-only job advertisements that limit wider access.

According to Bure, the Ministry remains committed to transparency, accountability and merit-based appointments.

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