[lg policy] Fiji's intellectual debate

[Harold Schiffman]

 Fiji's intellectual debate

Prashneel R Goundar
Saturday, June 25, 2016

[image: 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]+ Enlarge this image
<http://www.fijitimes.com/images/artpics/359599.jpg>

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

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.

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.

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?"

Time for reflection

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.

In Fiji, very little is done to encourage critical thinking. For example,
students learn mathematics, geography, history, literature, languages, and
chemistry.

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?

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).

Awards for academic excellence

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.

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.

Intellectual issues concerning language

The intellectual debate over the past weeks has also ignored a crucial
element that is languages.

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?

How many experts do we have in these languages and how many translations
have we been able to produce in the various languages?

Do we have specific language policies in place for pre-school, primary and
secondary schools?

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).

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).

Media and the universities

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.

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.

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.

Collaborative academic journals

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.

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.

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.

This will instantly save aspiring scholars from searching for journals
abroad and retaining the sums paid for publication abroad.

Concluding remarks

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".

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=359599


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