Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad. [Source: Fiji Government/ Facebook]

Fiji was a prominent presence at a recent international education roundtable which emphasized the critical need for nations to prioritize education even amid multiple challenges.

Key takeaways from the event centred on the urgency of enhancing educational funding and improving efficiency within education systems.

The focus was on elevating learning outcomes and nurturing human capital.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad stressed the role of education as the cornerstone of human capital development, economic growth, and inclusive socio-economic progress.

He highlights how education empowers individuals, fortifies communities, and contributes to nation-building.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad

Prasad pointed out that during times of crisis, ensuring access to quality education becomes considerably more difficult aggravating existing inequalities and impeding socio-economic development.

To address these challenges, he stressed the need to prioritize education financing as a central component of the recovery process.

This calls for a multifaceted approach that combines financial commitments, policy reforms in the education sector, and strategic partnerships involving governments, the private sector, civil society organizations and development partners.

Prasad also suggested that international institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund could play a role in extending financial support to countries lacking the resources to invest in education, spanning early childhood education, primary, secondary, tertiary education, vocational training and upskilling/reskilling.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed the importance of partnerships and collaborations during crises advocating for the pooling of resources, sharing of expertise, and the development of innovative solutions.

Prasad concluded by emphasizing the necessity to reevaluate and reform education systems to align them with the complexities of the contemporary era.

This, he adds involves integrating technology and digital platforms into learning strategies, enhancing teacher training programs, and expanding access to online education resources.