Salary grant for early childhood teachers has been increased to $6.8 million in the 2016-2017 budget.

Education Minister Mahendra Reddy explained what this meant for individual teachers while speaking in Parliament yesterday.

“Madam Speaker, I also want to highlight on another dimension that has been forgotten by those who have commented on this initiative…Madam Speaker, who are these teachers?

“They are females, married with children and most of them, had lost hope to work in the formal sector. Our Government, with a stroke of the pen, has given these teachers a new hope in life. We will not only transform these teachers and make their dream come true, but the whole household will be transformed.”

Toppers Scheme:

For the last three years, increasing number of Fijian students have been assisted under the Toppers Scheme.

“Madam Speaker, under the Toppers Scheme in 2014 we had 345 students, in 2015 we had 489 students and in January 2016 we had approved 579 awards.

“However, after January, there were more students applying for Toppers and noting the feedback from students, our Minister for Economy has decided to raise the allocation.”

Edited by Paula Tuvuki

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