Fijian language to be compulsory

[Harold F. Schiffman]

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>From the Fiji Times,

Fijian language to be compulsory
 (Monday, May 16, 2005)

BY the end of the year, a policy is expected to be passed to make
compulsory the teaching of the Fijian language in all primary and
secondary schools at all grades. But Education Minister Ro Teimumu Kepa
said it would take a while to integrate the compulsory teaching of the
Fijian language into the education system because they would have to start
from class one to form seven.

Assistant Culture and Heritage minister Nanise Nagusuca said a committee,
which includes officers from two ministries, had been working on the
policy which was expected to be tabled by the end of the year. Ro Teimumu
said once the language was taught in schools, it would include Fijian
customs and traditions.

"It is a way for Fijians to know themselves because many Fijians do not
know their language and their identity and it is really sad," she said.
"We will also look at having the Hindi, Rotuman, Urdu and Tamil languages
to be taught in the school curriculum." Ro Teimumu said there would not be
any shortage of teachers of the language in schools because most teachers
had been taught to teach Fijian while they were in teaching institutes. Ro
Teimumu said the policy was expected to be completed soon and tabled in
Cabinet for approval.

Mrs Nagusuca said there was a high need for the policy in Fijian schools
because many indigenous students had difficulty speaking and understanding
their own language. She said many indigenous people now preferred to speak
English at home to help their children with the language taught in their
schools.

"What they do not understand is that slowly they are losing their identity
and getting to know less of the language and when it is not taught in
school, it becomes a great problem," she said. She said many Fijians had
low understanding of their language. BY the end of the year, a policy is
expected to be passed to make compulsory the teaching of the Fijian
language in all primary and secondary schools at all grades.

But Education Minister Ro Teimumu Kepa said it would take a while to
integrate the compulsory teaching of the Fijian language into the
education system because they would have to start from class one to form
seven. Assistant Culture and Heritage minister Nanise Nagusuca said a
committee, which includes officers from two ministries, had been working
on the policy which was expected to be tabled by the end of the year.

Ro Teimumu said once the language was taught in schools, it would include
Fijian cu stoms and traditions. "It is a way for Fijians to know
themselves because many Fijians do not know their language and their
identity and it is really sad," she said.

"We will also look at having the Hindi, Rotuman, Urdu and Tamil languages
to be taught in the school curriculum."

Ro Teimumu said there would not be any shortage of teachers of the
language in schools because most teachers had been taught to teach Fijian
while they were in teaching institutes. Ro Teimumu said the policy was
expected to be completed soon and tabled in Cabinet for approval.

Mrs Nagusuca said there was a high need for the policy in Fijian schools
because many indigenous students had difficulty speaking and understanding
their own language. She said many indigenous people now preferred to speak
English at home to help their children with the language taught in their
schools.

"What they do not understand is that slowly they are losing their identity
and getting to know less of the language and when it is not taught in
school, it becomes a great problem," she said. She said many Fijians had
low understanding of their language.


http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=21371