Fiji cannot afford to train teachers for export, says FTU

Fiji cannot afford to train teachers only to lose them to overseas labour markets, says Fiji Teachers Union (FTU) general secretary Muniappa Goundar.

In its submission for the 2026-2027 National Budget, the FTU has called on the Coalition Government to reinstate the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for all civil servants, including teachers.

Mr Goundar said the issue was not merely a fiscal consideration but one of economic justice, social stability and responsible governance at a time when many Fijians were struggling with rising living costs.

"The purchasing power of the Fijian dollar has declined steadily, meaning that salaries today simply do not stretch as far as they did even two to three years ago," Mr Goundar said.

"This situation is now being further aggravated by global uncertainties, including ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting fuel supply chains, most notably disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz."

He said Fiji, as a small island developing state heavily reliant on imports, inevitably absorbs the impact of rising global fuel prices.

According to Mr Goundar, increased fuel costs flow through the economy, driving up transportation, food distribution, electricity and the overall cost of goods and services.

He said the result was a compounding cost-of-living crisis that disproportionately affected fixed-income earners such as teachers.

"Basic household expenses such as rice, flour, cooking oil and fuel have seen sharp increases, in some cases exceeding 15 to 20 per cent in recent years.

"Without a corresponding adjustment in salaries, this has led to a silent erosion of dignity, where hardworking professionals are forced to make difficult choices to meet basic needs."

Mr Goundar said COLA was a globally recognised mechanism designed to protect the real value of wages against inflationary pressures.

He said the absence of COLA had consequences beyond individual hardship and was affecting morale across the public service.

Teachers, who were already operating under challenging conditions, now faced additional financial stress that affected their motivation, wellbeing and performance in the classroom, he said.

"A workforce that feels undervalued and financially strained cannot be expected to consistently deliver excellence," Mr Goundar said.

"Conversely, reinstating COLA would send a strong and immediate signal that the Government recognises and respects the contributions of its public servants, thereby boosting morale, enhancing productivity and improving service delivery across critical sectors."

Mr Goundar said teacher retention had become an equally pressing concern.

He said Fiji was already grappling with the loss of skilled professionals, particularly teachers, to countries such as Australia and New Zealand, where salaries and working conditions were more attractive.

Without mechanisms such as COLA to cushion the impact of rising living costs, he said the gap between Fiji and overseas destinations would continue to widen.

"This further accelerates migration and undermines national efforts to retain experienced educators," he said.

"The cost of replacing these teachers, both financially and in terms of lost expertise, is far greater than the cost of retaining them through fair and competitive compensation."

Mr Goundar said reinstating COLA would also have broader economic benefits by increasing disposable income, stimulating domestic demand and supporting local businesses.

With more than 30,000 civil servants making up a significant portion of the middle-income population, he said their spending power had a direct multiplier effect on the economy.

He also argued that COLA provided a transparent mechanism to ensure workers were treated fairly during periods of inflation.

The FTU submission also highlighted Fiji's obligations under the Employment Relations Act 2007 and international labour standards, including principles relating to fair remuneration and wages that reflect living costs.

Mr Goundar warned that Fiji was facing a critical teacher retention crisis driven largely by migration to Australia and New Zealand.

"Teachers are leaving due to significantly higher salaries abroad, better working conditions and structured career pathways," he said.

"This trend has created a situation where Fiji is effectively subsidising the education systems of Australia and New Zealand through the loss of its trained teachers."

He warned that if the trend continued, Fiji could face severe shortages of experienced teachers, declining education standards and long-term development challenges.