Fiji faces declining school roll

SUVA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) — School rolls in Fiji have significantly decreased, prompting discussions about broader implications for schools in the Pacific island country.
The student population in many village schools is less than 30, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported on Monday.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro said the rural-urban drift is contributing to the declining school roll.
He stressed that there are a lot of implications and side effects in terms of the whole set-up of a family moving to Suva, capital of Fiji.
The minister urged the islanders to reconsider moving to urban areas and to make better use of educational facilities available locally, as teachers can also produce greater results and output in terms of their teaching outcome.
Radrodro said the government’s efforts to curb rural-urban migration are seen as crucial to maintaining the viability of schools in remote areas, which will ensure that children in those areas have access to quality education without the need to relocate. ■