Fiji Schools Must Approve All Visitors After Incident

Fiji's Ministry of Education is reminding all schools to strictly enforce existing policies regarding visitor access to school grounds. This directive emphasizes that any individual or organization wishing to enter school premises must first secure official approval from the Ministry.

The reminder comes in the wake of concerns raised in Parliament concerning an incident at a Lautoka school. Reports indicate an overseas visitor, while preaching, allegedly made offensive comments directed at a student and their religious beliefs. This event has prompted the Ministry to reiterate the importance of controlled access.

Education Minister Aseri Radrodro stated that school heads and executives are expected to be fully aware of and adhere to the established processes and policies. He clarified that approvals are not absolute and can be granted with specific conditions. These conditions may include mandatory supervision and clearly defined guidelines on permissible activities for visitors while on school property.

"It will probably be given with conditions, in terms of supervision, in terms of the do’s and don’ts of the business," Radrodro explained. He stressed that any business or organization seeking to engage with a school must obtain prior authorization from the Ministry of Education to ensure the safety and well-being of students and the school environment.

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It will probably be given with conditions, in terms of supervision, in terms of the do’s and don’ts of the business.