Call for career teachers in every school

Opposition Member of Parliament Hem Chand has called on the Ministry of Education to appoint dedicated career teachers in all secondary schools to guide students in choosing the right career paths.

“I urge the Ministry of Education to have designated career teachers in all secondary schools and upskill them by providing training so that careers teachers are able to provide guidance to students on career pathways at an early stage,” Mr Chand told Parliament on Thursday.

He was responding to Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro’s update on the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Skills Fair held last week at the National Gymnasium in Suva.

Mr Chand stressed that early career guidance was crucial, noting that students often arrived at tertiary institutions having already chosen their subjects.

“When they come to the higher education institutions after finishing secondary education, they have already decided their career path. They have chosen the subjects, and it's hard to change them,” he said.

Mr Chand highlighted that parents played a powerful role in shaping perceptions of TVET, which was often dismissed as a second option.

“By engaging parents early through simple steps like parent-teacher meetings, we can show them the real value and career opportunities that TVET offers,” Mr Chand said.

He noted that 60 to 70 per cent of jobs in the labour market existed in TVET sectors. Mr Radrodro announced the ministry would host a National Skills Fair from December 1 to 5, bringing together the best student projects from all divisions.

The Skills Fair attracted 4,871 students and teachers over two days.