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<h1>Fiji's intellectual debate</h1>
<p>Prashneel R Goundar<br>
Saturday, June 25, 2016</p>
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<p class=""><a href="http://www.fijitimes.com/images/artpics/359599.jpg" rel="lightbox" title="Students listens during the budget consultation by Minister of Finance and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at Suva Grammar School. The writer says the moment is now for Fiji to give credit to its local scholars, academics and intellectuals.
Picture"><img src="http://www.fijitimes.com/images/artpics/359599thumbm.jpg" alt="Students listens during the budget consultation by Minister of Finance and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at Suva Grammar School. The writer says the moment is now for Fiji to give credit to its local scholars, academics and intellectuals.
Picture" width="200">+ Enlarge this image</a></p>
<p>Students listens during the budget consultation by Minister of
Finance and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at Suva Grammar School.
The writer says the moment is now for Fiji to give credit to its local
scholars, academics and intellectuals.
Picture</p>
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<p class="">This month has seen much hype on the topic of
intellectuals, research areas, the value of academics in the country and
the type of academia that a progressing nation urgently needs.</p>
<p> On June 17, 2016, Fiji National University launched Professor
Subramani's book Reclaiming the Nation which includes a foreword by
Professor Satendra Nandan. The opening line of the foreword generates
intriguing questions for the media and the academic circle.</p><p>
Nandan writes "Professor Subramani gave two public lectures last year.
Neither of these was published in Fiji: I first read them in The Global
Indian journal, published in Sydney, edited by Dr. Satish Rai" (p.1). It
is disheartening to note that the lectures given locally had not been
highlighted for the Fijian audience whereas internationally it has been
given recognition. More disappointing to note is that the two lectures
published in Reclaiming the Nation, purely dealt with the education
sector in Fiji with an emphasis on critical thinking and the
decolonisation of the existing system. This is not a new omission on the
part of the media in Fiji or the policymakers to recogniae the
contribution of local scholars and their ongoing research. The three
universities have local publications throughout the year; however
minimal coverage is done on the events or the publications. If the
latter continues, then how will the public be enlightened with the new
knowledge produced within the country? Can this be the issue of this new
illiteracy whereby the people who are able to read and write are not
willing to bring to light these scholarships?"</p><p>Time for reflection</p><p>Various
universities globally have a department of Philosophy which encourages
individuals to understand the purpose of human life; our origins, where
we have come from, the future direction, meaning in life and goals.</p><p>In
Fiji, very little is done to encourage critical thinking. For example,
students learn mathematics, geography, history, literature, languages,
and chemistry.</p><p>However, where is the space between education, the
knowledge of the subject(s) and a link between that which provides a
satisfaction and hunger for learning?</p><p>As Professor Subramani
highlights in his new book, "Let me pose a question for our
universities: Where in the discrete and discontinuous offerings,
disciplines of the university, is the space for reflection on the
eternal verities or permanent concerns of human beings, and
opportunities to strive for their attainments and for inner fulfilment?"
(p. 13).</p><p>Awards for academic excellence</p><p>Fiji is a nation
that has produced well-established academics who are authorities in
their field as well as master of various subjects. Their writings have
had recognition abroad (including literary awards from the Government of
India) and given numerous public lectures to international audiences.
Professor Satendra Nandan, Professor Wadan Narsey, Professor Subramani,
Professor Brij Lal, and Jogindar Singh Kanwal are just a few of these
critically acclaimed academics. However, in Fiji we have fallen short of
giving national recognition to academics and writers.</p><p>Prominence
nevertheless, has been given to individuals and companies who have
excelled in the business sector. We need to institute awards for
academic excellence, which is more credible for facilitating new
scholars to engage in productive research that contributes to policy
making and enriching the existing curriculum in schools.</p><p>Intellectual issues concerning language</p><p>The intellectual debate over the past weeks has also ignored a crucial element that is languages.</p><p>Fiji
has done little to produce experts in languages, for example how many
PhDs have been completed in the iTaukei language, Fiji Hindi, or the
Rotuman languages that has had wide publicity nationally?</p><p>How many experts do we have in these languages and how many translations have we been able to produce in the various languages?</p><p>Do we have specific language policies in place for pre-school, primary and secondary schools?</p><p>Have
we actually had Language Policy and Planning (LPP) experts to structure
and create a policy which reduces the imbalance in the languages and
promotes all languages equally (this excludes the Constitution).</p><p>To
this, Professor Subramani in Reclaiming the Nation adds "Let's say for
survival of our multicultural life the priority is proficiency in
iTaukei and Fiji Hindi languages. But we have allowed both these
languages to become among the endangered languages of the world. Neither
of these vernaculars is being enriched by written culture" (p. 10). I
had emphasised on this issue last month in the article The language of
development (see The Fiji Times, May, 23, 2016).</p><p>Media and the universities</p><p>Intellectuality
exists within all the universities in Fiji and the research which
produces new knowledge is highlighted in the institutions through post
graduate seminars, seminar presentations, peer review seminars or
academic debates and discussions. These bring to light the findings of
recent studies and the way forward in various fields such as science,
education, arts and humanities. Therefore, the media has to communicate
efficiently and work with the universities to create awareness of the
studies and relate the findings to the public and the private sector.</p><p>The
media industry in Fiji is larger than it ever was in its history with
print, radio, television as well as social media playing its role in
influencing individuals. If Fiji ought to be a literate nation and
maintain its intellectuality then the media needs to bring to life these
researched presentations and write a new chapter in an academically
excelling Fiji.</p><p>A simple way to carry out this task is to have
journalists be in regular touch with the communication/public relations
officers of the three universities and highlight any new study to the
nation. It will also demonstrate the authenticity of local scholarship.</p><p>Collaborative academic journals</p><p>Another
pivotal issue that faces academics in Fiji is the lack of journals for
publishing their research findings, therefore, having to look for
publishers abroad. Interestingly, most of the academics works' are
selected for publication in these journals with minimal amendments to
make after the papers have been peer reviewed. Further, any authors
having publication abroad need to pay a publication fee which currently
is being transferred to foreign institutions, who are willing to credit
the studies from Fiji.</p><p>On the contrary, nationally these academics
are unable to share their knowledge due to the lack of national
journals. One suggestion is to have the three universities collaborate
and institute different journals for research papers to be peer reviewed
by local scholars and then published.</p><p>Every university is made up
of various faculties and colleges who specialise in their relevant
subject areas. For example, the Faculty/College of Humanities, Arts and
Education could provide a platform for academics in the field of
Language, Literature, History, Politics, Ethics, Linguistics, and
Teaching methodologies to have one journal for submission of the papers.</p><p>This
will instantly save aspiring scholars from searching for journals
abroad and retaining the sums paid for publication abroad.</p><p>Concluding remarks</p><p>In
concluding his foreword of the two keynote address on education in the
book Reclaiming the Nation, Professor Nandan advises "These two 'uneasy
talks' should create some deep and serious debate and discussion in the
green groves of our academe..… Fiji can be our wonderful world, if we
can imagine it together through our words, acts, imaginations; above
all, our manifold relationships with our one and only world, within and
without" (p.4). The moment is now for Fiji to give credit to its local
scholars, academics and intellectuals who have overtly surpassed the
phrase "Strive for Excellence".</p><p><a href="http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=359599">http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=359599</a><br></p></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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