The Ministry of Education wants to work closely with school managements, hear their views and help resolve issues in an amicable manner, says the Minister for Education, Mahendra Reddy.

He revealed this while meeting various school managers in Lautoka   on Thursday.

“We will ensure that there is good relationship with school managers and the heads as well,” Mr Reddy said.

“We have found out that some school heads are not operating with the school managers. We have started meeting them from Rakiraki where 50 managers attended, Tavua which was attended by close to 60, Ba close to 50 and in Lautoka close to 100.”

He said school managers played important roles in ensuring that funds were used well.

“Unfortunately when the funds were disbursed, we did not prepare the managers well with the thinking, the ideology and understanding that the money belongs to the school system.

“This national council for school managers will work very closely with district councils. There will be two representatives who will make the national council.”

He said the ministry would work towards ironing out disagreements.

“On Saturday we are meeting managers in Seaqaqa and Bua. We’ll have direct interaction with them. We have newsletters, we will run workshops for them, upskill them and train them.

“We are looking at dealing with smaller schools. The fixed costs are the same, but their operating expenditure is difficult for them to meet.”

Meanwhile, certain issues raised included fundraising in schools, increase in number of primary school students loitering in town because of irregular school bus schedules.

Mr Reddy said fundraising in schools was allowed, but levying of children was prohibited and that the ministry would address the issue of school bus schedules

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