The Education sector is allocated a massive $845million from the 2023-2024 National budget the highest allocation given.

This is a massive increase compared to $489.9million in the last fiscal year.

Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad says this is to allow the coalition government to re-look at the education system in a consultative manner.

Finance Minister Biman Prasad.

This includes the appointment of an Education Commission for an Education Summit where these forums will provide proper dialogues to chart a way forward to help lift the standard of education in Fiji.

Professor Prasad says the Ministry of Education is allocated a budget of $505.4million which is an increase of $18.4million.

“The salaries and wages budget for the Ministry has been increased from $318.1million to $322.6million to cater for the funding for the more than 14,000 existing teachers and newly established 169 teaching and non-teaching positions at the Ministry of Education. For qualification upgrade and staff movement, $8.9million is allocated for salary upgrade for teachers who have completed qualification to move to a higher band in line with the teacher remuneration setting policy.”

A total of $5.7million is allocated for rural and maritime location allowance which is an increase of $1.3million from the previous allocation.

Professor Prasad says this funding will cater for 3355 teachers in 21 remote schools around the country.

The coalition government is committed to giving free education and transport assistance to Early Childhood Education, primary and secondary school students with a total funding allocation of more than $100 million.

The Finance Minister says the Back to School financial support will also continue in this financial year.

“We have again allocated a sum of $45million to continue Back to School Support of $200 per child for students from Early Childhood to Year 13 for the school year 2024. This will benefit over 230,000 students for families with less than $50,000 household income when they start school at the beginning of 2024.”

A total of $49million is allocated for the overall maintenance of schools including the construction of TC Yasa-affected schools in Vanua Levu.

The Finance Minister says the biggest blunder for the previous government is neglecting the area of technical education which costs the taxpayers more than $20million.

“All the technical colleges were left in ruin. We now have a huge responsibility to rebuild our technical education system as well as address the skills gap issue in the country. We are now going to invest in this and work together to with the existing projects including the newly established Pacific Politek.”

Professor Prasad says the coalition government is going to rebound the Apprenticeship Scheme in the next few months and also review the NTPC Levy.

This is to best to support and fund the skills upgrade in the workforce.