EDUCATION - Australia’s commitment to Fiji education remains strong
3-Mar-2009

Address on the occasion of the signing of the MOU and handover of school rehabilitation funds to the Ministry of Education, Friday, February 27, 2009

We’re here this morning to mark the handover of approximately FJ$756,000 (A$646,000) in response to the Ministry of Education’s request for assistance in the wake of January’s disastrous floods.

This assistance comes out of the A$3 million that was committed by Australia after the January floods.

Out of the total, around FJ$390,000 is being provided to assist with repairs, and with equipment such as water tanks, furniture, library resources and stationery for 25 schools which suffered damage or served as evacuation centres during the floods. 14 of these schools are located in the West, seven in the North and four are in the Central Division. 21 of them are primary schools and four are secondary schools.

The remaining funds of approximately FJ$370,000 will be used to cover annual school levies for students from the same 25 schools. Based on the 2008 school rolls, there are approximately 6000 students at these 25 schools.

Our aim is to directly help families who suffered financial hardship in the floods, by ensuring that their children can continue to attend school.

This is of course only a part of our response to the floods. As you may be aware, we have already provided assistance to the NDMO, and to the Fiji Red Cross. We are still in discussions with the Education Ministry and with other Ministries and bodies regarding options for further support to flood recovery efforts.

Let me anticipate any questions you might have by clarifying that this assistance does not mark a change in Australia’s policy towards Fiji. As I said in January, Australians
expect their government to lend a hand to neighbour when it suffers a natural disaster.

You may recall that last year, too, Australia was in the forefront in providing assistance following Cyclone Gene.

More particularly, I would like to take this opportunity to emphasise that education has consistently remained a significant focus of Australia’s development cooperation programme in Fiji.

Current Australian Government assistance through the Fiji Education Sector Programme has been approximately FJ$5 million a year since 2003. The project provides technical assistance in the Ministry of Education’s priority areas of education planning, management, provision and monitoring.

Australia has also provided substantial assistance in recent years to assist with improved school buildings and facilities, rehabilitation of cyclone-damaged schools and the provision of library resources and computer equipment.

While our current programme in this sector is scheduled for completion by the end of 2009, I expect that Australia will continue to provide substantial support to Fiji’s education sector.

Meanwhile, our scholarship programme remains an important part of our aid programme.

Last year, we provided scholarships for around 90 Fiji students studying in the region and in Australia in areas such as education, health, engineering, taxation and environment. This year, around 120 students from Fiji are expected to be on award.

The Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC), now in its second year of operation, is working hard to increase the supply of skilled workers, to improve employment opportunities nationally, regionally and internationally and to increase productivity of individuals in targeted sectors in the Pacific region (Hospitality and Tourism; Health and Community Services; Automotive, Construction, Electrical and Manufacturing).

Over 900 students from the Pacific region have enrolled in APTC courses. This includes approximately 300 Fiji Islanders in 2009.

I think it’s important to underline that our commitment to Fiji’s development remains, and it remains substantial. That does not in any way change Australia’s position on the events of December 2006, and on Fiji’s return to democracy. That position is well known and it has not changed. But this handover today serves as a reminder of the indissoluble ties of geography and of history that bind us together.