Fiji National University - An Education Milestone

Submitted by Narayan24 on Tue, 16/02/2010 - 7:59am

The education sector in Fiji achieved a milestone on February 15th 2010 following the opening of the Fiji National University (FNU) in Nasinu by Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

The Nasinu campus, formerly known as Fiji College of Advanced Education (FCAE), is now the FNU headquarters. The site has significance in Fiji’s education history since it was at the same venue where the Queen Victoria School was established before it relocated to Tailevu.

The achievement sees the merging of six tertiary institutions under one umbrella – the Fiji National University. The six institutions are: Fiji Institution of Technology (FIT), Fiji College of Advanced Education (FCAE), Fiji College of Agriculture FCA), Lautoka Teachers College (LTC), Fiji School of Nursing (FSN), and Fiji School of Medicine (FSM).

The merge also sees the emerging of five new colleges under the FNU body and they are the College of Engineering, Science and Technology; College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; College of Humanities and Education; College of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies.

Minister for Education Mr Filipe Bole in his opening address said: “The merge is part of this Government’s cohesive plan to ensure the availability of the best in education to all those who aspire for it.”

“This was an ambitious plan but one that is firmly grounded and based on practicality and sound economics to deliver the human resources for Fiji’s development needs,” Mr Bole added.

He also acknowledged the fact that the six institutions have produced some of the best human resources in Fiji.

Government, over the years, has spent $65 million on tertiary education each year. The establishment of the FNU would ensure these funds be diverted in producing Fiji's human resource needs.
Mr Bole said the transition was one of the smoothest. Government mooted early in 2009 the need to establish such an institution to cater for Fiji's teartiary needs. An interim council was then formed and tasked to see the commencement of FNU from the beginning of the 2010 academic year.

Opening the Fiji National University Prime Minister Bainimarama said: “Government’s effort is to cater for the social and economical rights of the people of Fiji, which includes the right to education.”

“The formation of FNU is of the belief, focus and realisation of this Government that every citizen regardless of their race, colour or creed has a right and access to quality education."

“We need to give a more practical approach. The issue of free bus fares, textbooks and funding of FNU are such practical initiatives that give tangible meaning to the right to education."

“Education empowers the individual and gives self-worthiness that would lead to employment, which would contribute to family, society and nation as a whole,” PM Bainimarama added.

He said FNU will encourage Fiji citizens to think freely, out of the box and critically – open to innovative ideas that would benefit individuals and the nation as a whole. The largest institution in Fiji would ensure that it provides the best in specialised technical and vocational training to the people of Fiji under one roof.

Commodore Bainimarama also called on the Vice-Chancellor and staff of FNU to be loyal to their profession, institutions and the nation and that “past incompetency, mismanagement, discrimination, abuse of funds and nepotism are not repeated.”

PM Bainimarama also stressed the importance of transparency, accountability, non-discrimination, equality and respect for diversity. Majority of FNU campuses will open its doors to new and ongoing students on February 16th 2010 for the new academic year.