Close to 600 graduate teachers came to Jai Narayan College in Suva for the second round of the sitting of the English Proficiency and Job test, exceeding the education ministry’s expectation by 100.

Applicants competing for vacant teaching jobs sat for the tests yesterday — more than a week after 1627 out of 3250 failed an initial English test.

In an attempt to boost the morale of the prospective teachers after the English results were revealed, Permanent Secretary for Education, Iowane Tiko, was among them at the venue.

Mr Tiko confirmed that the majority of the teachers who sat the test were returning from “overseas leave.”

The revelation (English test shock) by the Fiji Sun ignited serious public debate; however, the results were downplayed by the Minister for Education Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

He said the teachers should not be crucified by their results and that it would be used to determine areas which needed professional development.

“We want to give full assurance to our teachers that we are committed to your professional development and we will invest in programmes that will support you in educating young Fijians,” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

As well as being given a second chance for the applicants who did not pass, the test was held to cater for anyone that missed the first one.

He said the teachers felt more relaxed after the education minister’s reassurance .

A senior deputy principal in Labasa, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said teachers were afraid they would not have a job if they failed the exam.

However, the education minister clarified in a press conference on Thursday (Jan 11) that the test was not administered on a pass or a fail basis.

Back To School

Reiterating the A-G’s call, Mr Tiko also urged parents and students to acquire their bus e-ticketing cards before school starts on Monday.

The ministry placed limits on the blue government-subsidised cards.

E-ticketing machines will be calibrated to register transactions from Monday to Saturday only, between 5AM and 7PM.

Edited by Mohammed Zulfikar

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