Education Minister defends deregistered teachers
Minister Aseri Radrodro blames accessibility issues for non-renewals, sparking debate over enforcement and student safety.
Monday 06 October 2025 | 23:00
Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro outside Parliament on October 1, 2025.
Photo: Parliament of Fiji
The Ministry of Education is under fire after Minister Aseri Radrodro defended teachers who have continued teaching despite being deregistered.
This has raised questions about enforcement and accountability in Fiji’s education system.
Mr Radrodro yesterday dismissed concerns from the Fiji Teachers Registration Authority (FTRA) as “unwarranted,” blaming accessibility issues for teachers failing to renew their licenses.
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He said it was unreasonable to expect educators from rural and maritime schools to travel to Suva during the school term just to renew their registration.
“We have over 900 schools across Fiji. Teachers cannot be forced to leave their classrooms just because FTRA doesn’t have offices nearby,” Mr Radrodro said, while urging FTRA to improve its operations rather than “creating unnecessary alarm.”
The comments come after FTRA chief executive officer Sangeeta Singh revealed to the Parliament Standing Committee on Social Affairs that 64 teachers were deregistered for failing to renew their licenses but continued teaching in classrooms potentially putting students at risk.
Ms Singh said deregistered teachers were sent notices, yet many remained in the system without valid licenses.
Legal penalties for employing unregistered teachers are steep, with fines of up to $150,000, but enforcement is complicated when the Ministry of Education itself is the primary employer.
Critics argue this exposes a loophole in the system and undermines accountability.
The report also highlighted a sharp improvement in compliance, with non-registered teachers dropping from 1800 to 64 since Ms Singh took office.
Still, opposition figures say the presence of deregistered teachers in classrooms raises serious questions about student safety and the Ministry’s oversight.
Ms Singh warned that deregistered teachers seeking re-registration must complete police and medical clearances again and may be downgraded from full registration to provisional status yet the system still relies heavily on teachers voluntarily complying with renewal notices sent months in advance.
The debate over deregistered teachers underscores a growing tension between the Ministry and FTRA, leaving some to ask: Are teachers being given leeway out of practicality or is the Ministry turning a blind eye to potential legal and ethical breaches?
Feedback: sosiveta.korobiau@fijisun.com.fj
