Education tops National Budget with $883m allocation

Education has received the largest share of Government spending in the 2026–2027 National Budget, with $883 million allocated to improve learning quality, expand student support programmes and strengthen workforce skills.

The allocation is $36 million higher than the $847 million provided for the sector in the 2025–2026 National Budget.

While delivering the Budget in Parliament this morning, Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel said the allocation represented 18 per cent of total Government expenditure, making education the largest investment across all sectors.

The Ministry of Education will receive $708.3 million, including $434 million for the salaries and wages of more than 13,000 teachers nationwide.

"...Investment in education is investing in the future of our nation," Mr Immanuel said.

"Over the years we have invested heavily in improving access to education with initiatives like free education funding, transport assistance, free textbooks and scholarship funding."

Mr Immanuel said the Government would shift its focus from expanding access to education to improving the quality of learning and graduate outcomes, ensuring students are equipped with the skills needed for Fiji's economy.

The Budget also maintains key support programmes for students and families, including:

• $61 million for the Free Education Grant;
• $54 million for transport assistance; and
• $40 million for the Back-to-School Assistance programme.

A further $74.5 million has been allocated as operating grants for higher education institutions.

Scholarships remain a key component of Government policy, with $160 million allocated to support about 23,000 continuing and new students.

The Government has also introduced tertiary education reforms, including the write-off of more than $650 million in student debt and the introduction of merit-based scholarships linked to academic performance.

Mr Immanuel said future investment would focus on improving student achievement, teacher retention and aligning education programmes with national workforce needs, particularly in healthcare, technical trades and professional services.

"Focus will now be on improving the quality of education, improving the employability of our graduates, meeting the skills need of the country, teacher welfare and retention, holistic education development that focuses on character building and achieving value for money for the investments in the education sector," Mr Immanuel said.

Additional funding will support greater inclusion for students from rural and maritime communities and those pursuing vocational and technical education.

He said the record allocation reflected the Government's commitment to using education to drive economic growth, workforce development and long-term national development.