Head Teachers Association calls for end to prolonged acting appointments

The Fiji Head Teachers Association (FHTA) has called for an end to prolonged acting appointments, saying delays in filling substantive positions are affecting teachers and school leadership.

FHTA president Johnson Rura said substantive positions should be advertised within three to six months to ensure transparency and merit-based appointments.

“As partners in education, our responsibility is not only to acknowledge progress but also to respectfully raise issues and propose solutions,” Mr Rura said.

He said teachers who had acted in positions for more than a year before their appointments were recently revoked should be considered for vacant positions in 2027.

“Many of these colleagues have been emotionally and financially affected by the recent movements, and we sincerely hope that they will be given opportunities once they become available,” he said.

Mr Raura also raised concerns over delays in issuing transfer letters and paying acting allowances, saying greater digitisation and clear timelines were needed to improve morale and service delivery.

“The wait and delays are now an excuse that we often hear, and it really affects the morale of our teachers,” he said.

On dual postings, the association proposed clear guidelines to ensure each institution had one substantive Head of School.

Mr Rura also called for a strengthened Human Resources section within the Ministry of Education, staffed by officers with strong knowledge of schools across Fiji.

He said the department should be responsive, professional and proactive in addressing concerns raised by teachers and Heads of Schools.

The FHTA also called for clear and consistent Ministry-funded repatriation arrangements for deceased education officers.

Mr Rura said the association had lost 14 members since its last conference and that the number of teachers passing away continued to increase each year.

He said families should not face additional financial pressure when transporting the remains of deceased education officers from their workstations.

The association also urged the Ministry to reconsider full-day schedules for Early Childhood Education students, saying longer hours did not necessarily result in better learning.

Mr Rura called for quarterly consultations with Heads of Schools and teacher representatives before new policies were implemented.

He also stressed the need for succession planning, particularly with retirements expected in 2027 and 2028.

“We do not want to face the same experience we are facing now of teacher shortage,” he said.