More than 300 registered Year 8 students did not sit the national exam, Ministry investigates

The Ministry of Education is investigating why a significant number of Year 8 students failed to sit the Fiji Year Eight Examination this year.

379 Year 8 students, who were enrolled and registered in schools this year, did not sit the exam.

Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro confirmed that 19,007 students were registered, but only 18,628 sat the exam, a worrying trend he admits was “consistent for years”.

“It’s a concern,” Mr Radrodro said.

“We want the teachers and the schools to tell us why these students dropped out throughout the year.”

The ministry reported a 69 per cent pass rate in Year 8 this year. Fiji’s Year 8 exam pass rate has never gone past 69 per cent over the past six consecutive years.

Mr Radrodro said the focus now shifted to the students who disappeared from the system before exams began.

He said the ministry’s nine education districts were directed to provide a breakdown of which schools failed to register their Year 8 students and why.

“We’re trying to get information from various schools in the districts — how many schools had students enrolled but who did not sit the exam,” he said.

“We need to know the reason behind these dropouts.”

Teachers’ Union

Fijian Teachers Association general secretary Paula Manumanunitoga said absenteeism at high-stakes exams was often linked to deeper personal and family struggles.

“Some students may have medical conditions. Others face family problems or issues at home,” he said.

“Sometimes a whole group may not sit because of circumstances beyond their control.”

Education stakeholders say the unexplained absence of more than 300 Year 8 students is a red flag for the system, especially as national pass rates remain flat.

While Mr Radrodro acknowledged that dropouts and exam absences were “nothing new,” he stressed that the ministry was determined to understand the decline from the classroom to the exam room.

The final district-level breakdown is expected to be compiled in the coming days