[File Photo]

A troubling trend has been noted where school rolls have significantly decreased, prompting discussions about the broader implications for the island schools.

The Education Minister Aseri Radrodro during his visit to Yasayasa Moala in Lau last week was informed that at Maloku District School, the student population has declined from over 100 last year to just 30 students.

Similar declines were observed at other schools including Ratu Mocevakaca District School in Matuku, which currently has 33 students, and Qalikarua District School, where enrolment has dropped to only 12 students, Babasea Primary School in Levuka-i-Daku village reported a roll of 26 students, while Delaiverata District School in Makadru, which serves three villages, now has only 30 students.

The Education Minister stresses that there are a lot of implications and side effects in terms of the whole set-up of a family moving to Suva.

“This is basically to address the rural-urban drift for our schoolchildren, because when one of the children is going to cities and towns in search of better secondary schools, it’s not only the student that is involved, it’s the whole family that is moving to cities and towns to search for the better education of the child.”

Radrodro has urged the islanders to reconsider moving to urban areas and to make better use of the educational facilities available locally as the teachers can also produce greater results and output in terms of their teaching outcome, and hopefully, they will trust the system of education.

Maloku District School’s Head Teacher, Suliasi Druavesi, says social dynamics are contributing to the declining school roll.

“Right now, all we have are the young men, who are not married, are in the ages of 20, 20 plus, who are here in the village, but still they regard themselves as young men, who are not going to be married any time soon.”

The government’s efforts to curb rural-urban migration are seen as crucial to maintaining the viability of schools in remote areas, ensuring that children in the Yasayasa Moala Islands and other nearby islands have access to quality education without the need to relocate.