School in Fiji

Early Childhood Education, or ECE, usually begins around age five in a kindergarten or pre-primary centre. The Na Noda Mataniciva curriculum covers children from ages three to six, and younger children may be accepted where places are available. Private day-care for children under five often operates outside the formal school structure. Registered ECE centres can receive a Free Education Grant for five-year-old children, but private centres are excluded from that grant. Primary school runs from Year 1 to Year 8, followed by secondary school from Year 9 to Year 13. Fiji provides access to ECE, primary and secondary education, although the practical access arrangement depends on available places, distance and school capacity. Primary school is compulsory. Earlier regulations placed compulsory school age at six to fifteen, while the Education Act 2026 leaves the detailed compulsory-age rule to a ministerial regulation; the current Gazette status should therefore be checked for a specific case. Parents or guardians are responsible for enrolment and regular attendance. The Ministry of Education, the Minister and the Permanent Secretary oversee the system with controlling authorities and Boards of Governors. The National Curriculum and Assessment Authority supports curriculum and assessment, while the Fiji Teachers Registration Authority regulates teacher registration. The National Curriculum Framework covers early education through Year 13. Primary schools teach iTaukei and Fiji Hindi as compulsory subjects. National completion examinations include the FY12CE after Year 12 and the FY13CE after Year 13. Government schools and government-aided schools provide free primary tuition. The Education Act 2026 provides for free secondary tuition when public resources are available. Schools may still have levies or fundraising activities, but participation cannot be forced under the Act. Textbooks are provided free of charge. The actual household cost can still include transport, meals, uniforms, materials, boarding and other school-related expenses. State transport assistance and boarding schools are especially relevant for rural, maritime and remote communities. Some schools also receive boat or engine support. Admission normally takes place no later than the end of the second week of Term 1. The Permanent Secretary can authorise exceptions. School hours are set through ministerial rules. A government-aided school may offer religious instruction, but a child may attend only with parental consent and cannot be compelled to participate against the family's religion or belief. Counselling and medical or dental inspections are available within the school system, while medical and dental inspections require parental consent. Health and safety inspections should occur at least once a year. Fiji uses both mainstream inclusive education and special schools. Mainstream inclusion adapts ordinary local schools for learners who need additional support. Special schools continue to serve some learners with severe or complex disabilities. Support can include sign language, Braille, assistive devices and individual learning support. A 2025 consolidated report recorded 18 special schools and 122 mainstream schools with inclusive provision, covering 1,408 identified learners: 1,072 in special schools and 336 in mainstream inclusive settings. Island geography creates practical differences between schools. Distance, unreliable transport, limited places and weather can affect attendance and transfers. Boarding is particularly relevant for remote and maritime communities. In 2023, Fiji had about 873 ECE centres with 19,173 registered learners, 738 primary schools and 176 secondary schools with 74,392 registered learners. These figures describe the public system at that time and do not determine whether a particular school has a place. The transition from Year 8 to Year 9, examination choices in the upper years and later movement into tertiary or technical education depend on the learner's results, pathway and available institution.