Aspiring teacher urges detailed Girmit education in Fiji curriculum

A young educator has called for Girmit history to be expanded in school curricula to strengthen multicultural understanding and preserve Indo-Fijian heritage.

Aspiring teacher Kushal Prasad said Girmitiya history should be incorporated into a more detailed curriculum to promote multiculturalism.

Mr Prasad delivered an impassioned speech on the contributions of Girmitiyas to Fiji’s economy during the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs-funded 147th Girmit Day celebration in Labasa yesterday.

The event featured a range of student speakers during the Fiji National University (FNU) Naiyaca Campus Youth Dialogue Forum 2026 on the history of Girmit in Fiji.

Mr Prasad said student turnout was higher than last year, with more than 100 students celebrating the occasion in traditional Girmitiya style.

He is a second-year Bachelor of Education student at FNU.

Students perform the Bhangra dance during the 147th Girmit Day celebration at Fiji National University (FNU) Naiyaca campus in Labasa on May 13, 2026.

Photo: Sampras Anand

The 21-year-old said while some aspects of Girmitiya life and struggles were taught in Hindi classes and highlighted during Indo-Fijian celebrations, greater recognition in the curriculum should be prioritised.

“Special topics in social science should be explored to include Girmitiya history and the contributions that shaped early and modern Fiji,” he said.

Mr Prasad said Indo-Fijians contributed significantly to the foundations of Fiji’s infrastructure through the sacrifices of ancestors who came from India to work on sugarcane plantations before making Fiji their home.

“In social science, there is a concept of Girmit that is taught. However, it should go into more detail about the impact of this movement and how it helped shape modern Fiji,” he said.

He also believed the Girmit celebration should return to a three-day national event because it would give people more time to celebrate and understand its significance.

However, Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs Charan Jeath Singh confirmed the decision to reduce the celebration from three days to one day was a cost-cutting measure amid the fuel crisis.

Mr Singh said the Government wanted to reduce expenses by hosting smaller-scale celebrations in Labasa, Lautoka and Suva, with the Suva programme held virtually through the Fiji Museum.

The student hopes to one day teach Girmit history when he joins the profession in the coming years.

“I will make sure my students, regardless of their racial background, learn about Girmit history because it will help them understand Fiji’s past and future,” he said.