Minister for Education Mahendra Reddy said yesterday he would investigate a claim by Tui Wainunu Ratu Orisi Baleitavea that students of a school in the district were forced to travel one and half to sit for their Fiji Year 13 Certificate Examination paper last week.

“I am not aware of this, however we will carry out investigations,” Mr Reddy said.

Ratu Orisi said he was called by a frustrated parent yesterday requesting him to find out from the Ministry of Education whether they were aware about this arrangement.

He told Fiji Sun that the principal of the school did this because there was a zonal games at Ratu Luke Memorial School which was in Wainunu and there was so much noise which would have disrupted the exams.

“The parent told me that the principal was worried about the noisy environment and thus decided to take them to a church hall where the students can do their exam in a quiet environment,” Ratu Orisi said.

He said the issue could have been resolved easily if there were arrangements made to avoid the unnecessary traveling by the students.

“The head teacher knew that Year 13 students would be having their national exams and he should have shifted the zonal games to Saturday,” he said.

“I really want to know whether the Ministry of Education is aware of what is happening in these two schools and whether they are aware about the arrangements made for the national exams.

“I am really worried about the kind of system followed by some schools and what is so sad to note that these schools are in Bua Province far from the Ministry of Education office in Labasa.

“Someone needs to really look into these issues and set up a monitoring system so that our children’s education is not affected.”

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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