Introduction

UNEVOC is the International Project on Technical and Vocational Education which was launched by UNESCO in August 1992. In the field of technical and vocational education, UNEVOC aims to foster the international exchange of ideas, experience and studies on policy issues; strengthen national research and development capabilities; facilitate access to data bases and documentation; promote innovations in staff development; and support international cooperative actions.

The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries.

BKA/96/M/187-500

KEY FACTS

Area	18,333 sq km
Population	771,104 (Fijians: 305,847, Indians: 345,196, other: 40,061) Labour force: 264,500 (1992), 269,000 (1993), 275,000 (1994) (Projected) This represents average increases of 5000 per annum but is not equivalent to the rate at which new jobs are created. The estimate of wage and salary earners in 1992 was 93,494, approximately 36 per cent of the labour force
Official title of the country	Republic of Fiji
Climate and geography Fiji is located approximately north east of Aukland within latitudes 15-22 degrees south and longitudes 177 degrees west and 174 degrees east. It consists of about 300 islands scattered over approximately 40,000 sq km of the Pacific Ocean and straddle the 180 degrees meridian. The total land area is approximately 18.333 sq km with virually all economic activity (and bulk of population) concentrated on the two largest islands, Viti Levu 10,429 sq km, and Vanua Levu 5,556 sq km. The climate is typically tropical with the usual ameliorating effect of the sea. Two seasonal patterns are recognised, the cool dry season which runs from May to October with average daily temperatures ranging from about 18°C to 26°C and average monthly rainfall ranging from 46-144 mm, and the hot wet season from November to April with average daily temperatures ranging from approximately 23°C to 32°C and average monthly rainfall ranging from 296-332 mm. Cyclones which over the last 10 years have averaged one strike for every other year normally develop during April. Official language Fiji was a Crown colony for 96 years up to October 1974 by which time the English language had become firmly established as the official language. Because of the multiracial composition of the population. English has continued to be the official language while provisions are made for parliamentary speeches to be made either in Fijian or Hindi, and certain official notices are printed in all three languages. Ruling party/Head of government/Political system Fiji became a Republic in 1987 with a president. At the parliamentary elections held in 1992 and the snap general elections held in 1994, the wholly Fijian political party, the Soqosoqonivakavulewa ni Taukei or SVT, with Major-General Sitiveni Rabuka as party leader returned the largest number of members to parliament of any other single party and Rabuka was appointed by the President in both instances to be Prime Minister. Thus the political system in place is a variation of the Westminister syste, with a House of Representatives and a Senate and with a constitution with "empowers" the President to appoint as Prime Minister the Fijian elected member whom he in his best judgement believes will command the respect of the largest number of members elected to the House of Representatives. The parliamentary term is five years. The President must be a Fijian of high chiefly status and is appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs. Currency used Fijian Dollar (FD) Education The school system up to the early 1960s was a very rigid primary/secondary demarcated system with eight years of primary schooling and four years of secondary schooling. To cater for the requirements of children who were leaving school at different levels of the 12 year continum, some flexibility was introduced to allow schools which wished to do so to have one cut-off point after six years (primary) and another after a further four years (Junior Secondary). External examinations taken at the secondary level are the Fiji Junior Certificate Examination at the end of junior secondary year (year 10) which, while giving school leavers at this level some basic knowledge and skills, is also used to select those capable of proceeding to the last two years of secondary school. The Fiji School Leaving Certificate Examination has replaced the New Zealand University Entrance Examination and a good pass is required for entry into form 7 (year 13) which has been set up for better preparation for those capable of going on to tertiary institutions. School education is run predominately by private organisations and school committees with a few government owned schools in the county. It is fee-paying and not compulsory. The Ministry of Education is the government regulating authority for education. Social welfare Fiji is not a welfare state and for good reasons is not likely to become one in the foreseeable future. As such there are no unemployment benefits such as that which is commonly referred to as the "dole" in Australasia. A number of religious and other NGOs provide a variety of rudimentary services to people belonging to those organisations, but the bulk of the service that is provided is through the Social Welfare Department of government. This department has statutory responsibilities relating to child care and matrimonial problems, young offenders, domestic conflicts, counselling etc., and non-statutory responsibilities in the provision of support and encouragement to community based organisations and NGOs providing community development and welfare services to its members. A shortage of financial resources continues to hamper the efforts of the Department of Social Welfare. Economy In general while the major economic activities still have a firm base in the primary industries (sugar, fishing, gold, timber, etc.) the economy is in the process of transition by the onset of a second wave of activities based on light manufacturing and tourism and the hospitality industry. In 1987 Fiji exported $328 million in commodities mainly to the UK, Australasia, USA and Canada, and imported $385 million in foreign-made products, primary consumer goods, and machinery, basically signally that present economic activities must be made more efficient and expanded, and new activities introduced for Fiji to attain a competitive edge for its products also as to reduce its trade deficit. But based on forecast sugar production of 430,000 tonnes, visitor arrivals of around 300,000 and moderate growth in private investment, real GDP is forecast to grow by 3.2 per cent in 1994. With noticeable changes taking place in the economy annually there has been marked changes in inflation rate, and based on the average of the CPI inflation is expected to be recorded at about 1.5 per cent in 1994. Growth overseas investment has continued to remain sluggish and therefore has had no effect in stimulating the level of economic growth. Liquidity is high in the banking system despite low commercial bank interest rates and moderate inflation over the last five years. Domestic exports are forecast to grow by 4 per cent in 1994 with increases in molasses, gold, timber, fish, coconut oil and garments exports. Earnings from sugar are expected to decline 2 per cent below the 1993 estimates while garments exports are forecast to increase by 13.2 per cent and gold export by 9.0 percent in 1994.

1. INTRODUCTION


The argument that there is a distinct barrier separating education from training as two quite different activities and concepts has been going on for a long time and to all intents and purposes will probably continue into the distant future without specific resolution. For the purpose of this paper, however, especially because of the nature of the conduct of courses for employment preparation and employment skills enhancement in Fiji, it is not considered useful to make a distinction between education and training.

There are a number of vocational training institutions in Fiji. These include the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT), the Fiji National Training Council (FNTC), Montfort Boys Town (MBT), Telecommunications Training Centre (TTC), Fiji College of Agriculture (FCA) and in all these institutions the courses taught must of necessity have a proper balance between theoretical inputs and practical applications for them to be useful to students without any job experience and to those seeking upgrading of job skills. Furthermore, the only distinction that can be made between the two major categories of vocational training institutions is that while the FIT, TTC, FCA etc. cater mainly for the training of people seeking entry into the job market for the first time, with the FIT also making some provisions for those already in jobs and seeking skills upgrading, the FNTC provides training only for those who are employed, although there is nothing in the Act to prevent it from becoming engaged in pre-service training.

2. DEFINITION



A pre-requisite to the preparation of this brief account on vocational training programs in Fiji is the acceptance of the definition that this will mean "a network of co-ordinated training programs at national level that aims at preparing youths and adults for employment". While the definition is an expression of a situation that is ideal for the industrial development of especially smaller island countries like Fiji, the reality is that there is no co-ordination amongst the training institutions in Fiji, with each "doing its own thing" as determined and directed by the governing bodies of each institution.

Of the different organizations and institutions offering training facilities in Fiji, the Fiji National Training Council by its very title implies that the Act of Parliament under which it was established intended it to be the central training institution for the nation as a whole. This potential comes to it by virtue of the wide powers endowed on it by the Fiji National Training Act. Furthermore, it also obtains guaranteed and comparatively substantial funding through the levy scheme, whereby the employers are required to pay one per cent of their annual gross wages and salary bill to the FNTC as a training levy.

Although there have been murmurings in the last few years in favour of a merger between the FIT and the FNTC, possibly with the objective of avoiding duplication of effort and the resultant uneconomic use of scarce resources, and further suggestions for the setting up of a truly umbrella organization to co-ordinate and direct all vocational training, no definite moves have been made in either direction. A contributing factor to this lack of mobility in either of the directions indicated could be the fact that the two institutions come under the purview of two different Government Ministries - Education (FIT) and Labour and Industrial Relations (FNTC). Furthermore, the differences in the foundations of the two institutions are sufficiently significant that an experiment to merge their functions in 1978 was abandoned within twelve months. The arguments for co-ordination of effort, resources and direction in vocational training in Fiji must, however, outweigh and over-ride all opposition to it if the objectives of vocational education and training for industrial development are to be achieved at minimum cost.

3. THE FIJI ECONOMY

Condensed from a paper on the Fiji economy delivered by the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji to the Asian Productivity Organization 34th Workshop Meeting of Heads of National Productivity Organizations, Fiji 4 February 1994.

Fiji is dependent on the sugar and tourism sectors, with garment manufacturing emerging recently as a significant new industry. It compares well with many other developing countries in terms of a range of social indicators relating to life expectancy, health and education.

Following robust growth in the sixties and the early seventies, and a slowdown from the mid-seventies, the economy performed unevenly over the decade ending in 1991. This pattern was especially pronounced in agriculture but has been more typical than not in industry as well. Growth was especially poor in the first half of the 1980s, primarily because of:

(a) a deterioration in Fiji's terms of trade and a reduction in tourism, both caused by the oil price increase of 1979-1980;

(b) the adverse impact of cyclones on tourism and sugar in 1983 and 1985; and

(c) an exhaustion of possibilities for import-substituting production.

The period of unsatisfactory growth included the 1970-86 years when four sets of interventions characterized public policy.

· First, the Government attempted comprehensive five-year plans, far beyond the broad indicative framework employed in the market-oriented economies of East Asia.

· Secondly, barriers to international commerce were intensified, supporting inefficient import-replacement industries and discriminating against exports.

· Thirdly, prices of key products and factors were set through administrative arrangements, and private sector investment activities were intensely regulated.

· Finally, a large and generally inefficient public enterprise sector was established as Government sought to control the "commanding heights" of the economy. One consequence of this public sector orientation was a sharp decline in private investment; as a proportion of GDP investment fell from 15 per cent in 1981 to less than 7 per cent in 1989.

The second half of the 1980s was characterised by efforts to restore an economic framework conducive to the growth of private investment and initiative. In 1985-1988, real GDP grew at an average annual rate of about 0.5 per cent, but the strong economic recovery in 1986 was reversed in 1987 as a result of the military coups in May and September 1987.

Real growth accelerated in 1989 and 1990 as the political situation stabilised. Measures to restore financial stability and a redirection of the economy towards export-orientation took effect, and some degree of confidence returned.

Tourism, construction and manufacturing recovered and the expansion in agriculture was much below that of overall real GDP, reflecting industrial disputes as well as adverse weather conditions for sugar production. Within the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, the importance of sugarcane production and processing continued to diminish, while fishing and forestry gained importance, and garment manufacturing expanded rapidly.

Economic activity stagnated in 1991, notwithstanding strong growth in construction and manufacturing. The service sectors contracted as tourism arrivals declined reflecting recession in the major tourist markets and increased competition from other tourist destinations within the region. There was a further decline in sugar production (resulting from labour unrest and unfavourable weather), offset by the continued expansion in the fishing and forestry subsectors, while manufacturing reflected a continuation of the expansion in the non-sugar sectors.

Economic activity bounced back in 1992 led by a surge in sugar exports and tourism. Despite the resumption of growth, private investment continued to remain at low levels.

The largest sector in terms of its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) is agriculture. However, its share in total GDP has declined by 5.0 per cent from an average of 23.3 per cent in 1983-87 to 22.2 per cent in 1988-92. The distribution, hotel and catering sector has improved its position from third before 1988 to second in 1988-92 (from 17.3 per cent to 19.6 per cent). The social community and personal services ranked third with 17.0 per cent in 1988-92 after losing ground from its second ranking in 1983-87.

A notable gain was evident in transport and communication which moved from fifth position with 12.0 per cent in 1983-87 to fourth in 1988-92 when it accounted for 13.8 per cent of GDP. The share of the finance, insurance and real estate declined to 12.8 per cent from 13.4 per cent during the two subperiods while the share of manufacturing declined marginally.

The economy has therefore undergone some structural transformation as the relative importance of agriculture, construction, social and community services, finance and insurance, declined while that of distribution hotels and catering, transport and communication, and mining gained in relative importance. The manufacturing sector more or less retained its share of some 11.8 per cent during the two periods.

4. MANPOWER SITUATION IN RELATION TO THE ECONOMY



It goes without saying that one very important pre-requisite for industrial and commercial development is training in the appropriate skills required for growth to take place in this broad sector. Other important ingredients include investment capital, infrastructure, political stability, incentives, labour costs, trade agreements, market demand and so on. While all these together serve to determine the nature of the economic environment in any one of the small island countries in the Pacific and gives account of the potential for the economy to grow, only training will be considered in this brief study.

Fiji's economic and manpower situation, which had by 1986 begun to achieve a state of stable growth, with the size of the pool of available skills large enough to sustain a small but steady growth rate in the economy, changed abruptly in 1987. The two coups of that year interrupted a relatively long period of political stability, dynamited a steadily growing economy, and led to a sudden and virtual halt in both local and overseas public and private sector investment, with marked reduction in employment and incomes. What it did most of all, however, was to create the very urgent need for initial training, retraining and skills upgrading because of the relatively enormous chasms in the workforce created by the massive outward migration of skilled workers.

The two most salient features of the manpower situation following the coups of 1987 are, first, that they resulted in the emigration of between 5000-6000 persons per year up to 1990 of whom more than half of the economically active emigrants were occupationally classified as professional, technical, administrative, managerial and supervisory personnel. This pattern of emigration is said to have continued into 1992 and 1993 although at a slower pace.

The second and more significant feature of the manpower situation since 1987 is the distinct and very deliberate shift in the Fiji Government's economic development strategy from an inward-looking, self-sufficiency and import-substitution approach with all its inefficiencies, toward a more outward-looking, export-oriented approach designed to transfer the responsibility for economic development from the public to the private sector, thus making competitiveness the key objective. For this transition to take place efficiently and effectively therefore, training has had to take priority.

The foundation for this new approach by Government was laid down in a series of statements issued at the National Economic Summit held in May 1991 in which government undertook to:

(a) pursue a programme of deregulation, including the termination of import licensing, the phased reduction of tariffs and reform of the tax system, and the introduction of a Value-Added Tax in 1992;
(
b) restrain growth in the public sector and public sector spending to ensure availability of resources for private sector growth;

(c) reduce its role in commercial activity by corporatization and eventually privatization of public enterprises such as the Posts and Telecommunication Department and the Fiji Broadcasting Commission;

(d) institute policies to seek the development of a labour market that is more responsive to market conditions in different industries; and

(e) encourage ethnic Fijians to play a greater role in the economy thereby widening the entrepreneurial base and therefore competition within the economy.

This economic development strategy has resulted in changes in the economic structure. As the economy has opened up and protection fallen, certain sectors which survived under protection are now beginning to face international competition in the face of which the less competitive producers are being forced to become more efficient or be driven out of business.

Deregulation has allowed competitive areas to develop, as resources move out of less competitive areas and are becoming available to more efficient and dynamic enterprises. In the search for competitiveness new and more efficient technologies are being introduced, new products manufactured, and new markets are being sought. The tax-free factory (TFF) and tax-free zone (TFZ) scheme are already contributing to this development.

As growth is driven more by private sector investment the need for new knowledge and skills is becoming more and more urgent. Fiji's requirements in this area would probably be more severe at this stage by comparison with other small Pacific Island Nations for two reasons:

(a) the substantial loss in skills and in private sector expertise that Fiji continues to face as a result of the coups resulted in manpower replacement levels far higher than at anytime in the past; and

(b) the rapid change in direction of Government's economic development strategy since 1987 and the consequent changes in technology and composition of output has necessitated not only increases in manpower requirements, but also changes in composition of the workforce and superior management skills.

5. IMPACT OF ECONOMIC STRATEGY ON TRAINING



How then does this economic strategy impact on training? Although capacity utilization, including the absorption of already trained and educated people into vacancies created by emigration, will continue to allow growth in the short term, new investments will be needed particularly in manufacturing, tourism and in agricultural activities other than sugar. The prospects of growth in these areas clearly indicate a number of manpower development priorities mainly in the private sector:

(a) (first) skill development will be required for the manufacturing sector if growth is to be guaranteed and sustained. A dynamic manufacturing sector will require both general and industry specific training. The introduction of new products and new technologies will require technical and supervisory manpower;

(b) in agriculture, training will be needed for the introduction of new crops, new farming techniques, new storage and processing technologies; and

(c) investigations that were undertaken for the FIT through AIDAB into the development of a new School of Hotel and Tourism in Nadi is an indication of the very heavy demand for training from this sector (this project has been placed on hold mainly because of the costs of the original concept).

According to a recent survey undertaken by the Fiji National Training Council on behalf of the ILO Asian and Pacific Skills Development Programme (APSDEP) on the need for training in advanced technology in Fiji, there is a serious shortage of Tradesmen and Technicians in all engineering fields (mechanical, electrical, electronics, automotive, machine tool) and also in the building trades. Emerging skills for which there do not appear to be adequate facilities for training include electrical and electronics skills, computer technology, although the Fiji Institute of Technology does offer Trade Certificate Courses in Electrical Engineering and Electronics, and Diploma courses in Electrical and Telecommunication Engineering.

In addition to technical skills, the Fiji Government's economic strategy, and special emphasis on enabling ethnic Fijians to play a greater role in the economy, demands that opportunities be also readily available for training in business or entrepreneurial skills. As industrial organizations strive for greater efficiencies in their operations with the eventual objective of achieving competitiveness in the world marketplace, the demand for workers, even at the supervisory level, to have a strong accounting background, will become greater and greater, and middle and higher management positions will be the purview of only those with degrees in accounting and business administration (MBA), and of course relevant and successful work experience.


6. INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING

6.1 THE FIJI INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

The FIT is the largest technical training institution in the country with an enrolment capacity in 1993 of approximately 2700 equivalent full-time students, with residential capacity for 230 students, all male. It was set up in 1963 as the Derrick Technical Institute (DTI) to provide especially technical training up to technician level in various disciplines to satisfy the demands of qualified school leavers with the appropriate aptitudes, and also to cater for the training requirements of newly emerging and rapidly increasing industrial activity within the economy. The change in its name to the FIT came about in 1977. It signalled the beginning of the realignment of the training curricula and examinations to cater for local industry training demands rather than that of the State of New South Wales, which was previously in use, and also to pave the way for advanced technical education up to degree level some time in the future.

The FIT delivers its training through ten Schools, viz.: Schools of Automotive Engineering, Building and Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Maritime Studies, Printing, Hotel and Catering Services, Business Studies, Secretarial Studies and General Studies, all located on four campuses in Suva. The Western Division Technical Centre in Ba provides the basic courses for most of the disciplines offered through the ten Suva-based Schools of the Institute.

The total activities of the FIT as the leading provider of vocational education and training are centred around the following goals developed in 1993, and which reflect the break out from the shackles of total government control as directed by the FIT "autonomy" decree of 1992.

Goals: The Fiji Institute of Technology has four main goals: educational, management, equity and entrepreneurial.

Educational: The main educational goal of the Fiji Institute of Technology is to provide learning opportunities of quality and relevance by:

· periodically revising its educational programmes to reflect advances in knowledge and technology and the requirements of the job market; and

· providing staff with educational opportunities to equip them with knowledge and skills so that they can maintain the highest standards of teaching, research and scholarship.

Management: The main management goal of the Fiji Institute of Technology is to maintain a work environment conducive to learning and teaching particularly by:

· formulating staff policies that reflect good management practice;
· providing opportunities for staff to enhance their full development as individuals;
· providing opportunities for students to promote their full development as individuals;
· maintaining a consultative and collaborative style of administration; and
· upgrading work environment and teaching facilities.

Equity: The main goal of the Fiji Institute of Technology in relation to equity is to provide appropriate educational opportunities for all students according to their qualifications, preferences, interest and needs consistent with the policy of the Government of Fiji to reduce the gap between indigenous Fijians and persons of other races.

Entrepreneurial: It is an important goal of the Fiji Institute of Technology to participate in activities, including teaching, consultancy and research, which generate resources to supplement grants, financial assistance from the Government of Fiji and other sources, and to respond to the needs of the industry and the community at large.

Although recently granted partial autonomy, the Institute has been historically administered by the Ministry of Education as part of its vocational-technical education effort. The Mission and Goal statements for the FIT as revised in 1 993 are itemised in Appendix III.

While the Institute has been able to provide the appropriate levels of training especially in the technical areas, it has experienced some difficulties in the satisfactory achievement of some of these objectives especially because of the lack of the appropriate resources. The fact that it is a Government institution under the Ministry of Education with staff classified as, and working under the terms and conditions of, secondary school teachers could very well be largely responsible for its staffing problems. In the technical areas it is experiencing increasing difficulties especially because of a 5-10 per cent wastage rate of qualified teaching staff for every year since the coups in 1987, and ageing equipment.

The problems relating to equipment and related curricular in engineering has however been more-or-less eliminated with EC funding over the 1992-94 period which has resulted in the modernization of relevant curricular and equipment including the setting up of new computer training facilities with training in CAD and PLC capabilities. But until such time as a satisfactory staff employment scheme is put in place, the FIT will continue to face difficulties in realising its fall potential as a vocational education and training institution equivalent to similar institutions in Australasia.

The governing body of the Institute is the Council which is appointed by the Minister for Education. The Council comprises of senior Government officials, representatives from industry bodies, USP Council, FNTC, and FIT Staff Association and acts to determine and monitor policy for the proper conduct of the affairs of the Institute. The Permanent Secretary for Education chairs the FIT Council.

The management of the Institute is vested in the Principal and his management board comprising the Vice-Principal, the two Deans and the ten Heads of Schools. Because this Board meets infrequently effective management is undertaken by the Executive Committee which consists of the Principal, Vice-Principal, the two Deans and the Registrar.

The teaching and research work is carried out in specialist disciplines by the ten schools and the Principal is guided and directed on academic and related issues by the FIT Council, and the Academic Board which is an expanded version of the Management Board and of which the Principal is the Chairman.

The Boards of the different schools consist of senior staff, representatives from industry and professional organizations and the Fiji National Training Council. These Boards are responsible for the development and implementation of education and training programmes planned in consultation with their curriculum development committees, and with the eventual approval of the Academic Board.

6.2 THE FIJI NATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL (FNTC)

The very title of the FNTC implies that the Act of Parliament under which it was set up in 1973 intended it to be the umbrella training organisation for the nation as a whole. This intention is clearly illustrated by the wide powers and broad functions given as follows:

(a) to provide, arrange for or regulate the appropriate training of persons or classes of persons whether by way of apprenticeship or otherwise, to assist such persons or classes of persons in connection with employment;

(b) to co-operate in, approve, or advise on any such arrangement made by any other person, including the Crown;

(c) after consultation with such persons as it may consider desirable, to arrange for employment of such persons or classes of persons who are under training or who have completed appropriate training;

(d) to enter into any contract necessary to carry out its functions under this Act;

(e) to acquire, enjoy or otherwise dispose of or deal with any real and personal property for any purpose necessary to carry out its functions under this Act;

(f) to advise on, and to disseminate information about training;

(g) on request with the approval of the Minister, to provide training in respect of persons outside the scope of a levy order on terms to be fixed by the Council;

(h) to provide a consultancy service to employers and other persons;

(i) to investigate and make recommendations, to such persons as it shall consider appropriate, relating to any matters connected with this Act;

(j) to make grants or loans to persons providing such courses or other training facilities the Council may approve;

(k) to assist and contribute towards the cost of training, and the promotion of training, of any person or class of persons;

(l) make provision for the registration of such training courses or facilities of such category as it shall direct, and for the approval of such courses or facilities;

(m) to issue or cause to be issued to an apprentice on the satisfactory completion of his contract of apprenticeship, or to any persons other than an apprentice on the satisfactory completion of any course of training, a certificate in such form and manner as it shall decide; and

(n) generally do all such acts and things as are necessary or incidental to the discharge of its functions under this Act.

The Fiji National Training Council is a tripartite organization with representatives on the Governing Council from Government, employers (mainly as nominees of the Fiji Employers Federation) and employees (mainly as nominees of the Fiji Trades Union Congress), and as a statutory organization it operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations. The Chairman of the Council is the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry and the executive head of the organization is the Director General.

The training functions of the FNTC are carried out by the staff of the Industry Training Boards:

· Commercial and Administration Training Board
· Hotel and Tourism Industry Training Board
· Marine & Port Industry Training Board
· Engineering Industry Training Board
· Electrical Engineering Training Board
· Construction Industry Training Board

In addition to the above, the:

· National Apprenticeship Training Board monitors, co-ordinates and administers apprenticeship training in approximately twenty designated trades. Theoretical training for apprentices is undertaken at the FIT.

· the National Trade Testing Board which functions to set national trade standards, develop curricula and administer trade tests to qualify tradesmen at three levels of competency. These tests include the designated trades under the apprenticeship scheme and provide a facility for certifying tradesmen who have not entered the apprenticeship scheme.

· National Productivity Board functions across the six training boards and provides industry with training and consultancy services in productivity-related concepts such as the Quality Control Circle concept, Total Quality Management, techniques for increasing productivity on the shop floor and more recently training up to accreditation in ISO 9000 for exporters.

Similar to the arrangements current with the schools of the FIT but with a greater degree of flexibility, the Industry Training Boards determine and develop the courses they run but tie in trade skills courses to trade standards. The Boards also have a tripartite composition and each is chaired by one member of the Council, thus providing a direct access to the Council for the training boards. In addition to the information on training requirements of industry provided by the Manpower Research Section through regular surveys and training needs analyses, each of the Training Boards can respond quickly to specific training needs as indicated by the industry representatives on the Boards. Thus, courses can be switched on or switched off as required and new courses mounted quickly to satisfy immediate needs.

The funding scheme of the FNTC through a one per cent levy of the gross annual payroll of all employers (except for those involved in agriculture/fisheries, scientific and cultural research, health services, welfare and charitable work, religious service, and performers and artists in live entertainment and cultural services) paid twice annually, assures it of a guaranteed source of funds with which to undertake its training activities, undertake research and developmental work and cover administration costs.

By comparison, the disadvantages experienced by the FIT is that it is presently funded like a Government department and as such operates under the rigid framework of a Government department with no flexibility to divert its resources quickly to cater for new demands on its services in the short term. With partial autonomy however this situation will soon be rectified.

6.3 TELECOMMUNICATIONS TRAINING CENTRE


What is known today as the Telecommunications Training Centre (TTC) was originally set up in the early 1970s as the Regional Telecommunications Training Centre (RTTC) largely through the assistance and direct involvement of the International Telecommunications Union to provide training in telecommunication skills for regional countries. From the beginning and as an integral part of the terms of the contract under which it was set up, the Fiji Posts and Telecommunication Department seconded staff to the Centre to understudy expatriate training staff.

Today the TTC has largely become the corporate training institution for the corporatized Fiji Posts and Telecommunications, is fully staffed by locals, continues to give access to regional countries for training, and also provides training for other relevant organizations such as the Fiji Broadcasting Commission. The TTC issues its own Diploma in Telecommunication Engineering, which as a technician qualification is recognized regionally and in Australasia.

6.4 FIJI COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE


The Fiji College of Agriculture operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Primary Industries and is fully funded by Government. It has an annual pre-service intake of approximately 40 students with a pass in the Fiji School Leaving Certificate (University Entrance) examination in science subjects as a prerequisite for entry. It provides courses leading up to a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture qualification with an adequate heavily practical biased coverage of courses in agriculture and veterinary science.

Graduates from the School find employment mainly in the Ministry of Primary Industries and the Fiji Sugar Corporation as Field Officers, and according to supervisors in both organisations, perform better as field operators than graduates from the USP's School of Agriculture in Western Samoa.

6.5 THE MONTFORT BOYS TOWN


This is a technical training institution which was established in the early 1970s by the Roman Catholic Order of St Gabriel at the request and with the assistance of Government through the Ministry of Education. It caters only for the training needs of young school leavers with a pass in the Fiji Junior Examination and with under-privileged family backgrounds.

Training is provided in automotive trades, cabinet making and upholstery, building trades, fitting and machining and in leadership skills. Certification is provided through the trade testing scheme of the FNTC. A graduate from Boys Town, if successful, will enter the job-market with a Class III qualification in whatever trade he has specialized in.

6.6 GARMENTS FIJI LIMITED


Garments Fiji Limited (GFL) was set up in 1990 by Government under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Commerce to provide for the training needs for an industry which, through Government's Tax Free Zone and Tax Free Factory Scheme, was very quickly overtaking tourism as the second largest foreign exchange earner for the country. Unlike other Government initiated training organizations, the GFL was set up as a company at the outset with a Board of Directors drawn from the private sector, mainly from the garment industry, the Fiji National Training Council, the USP and the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, with a guarantee of Government funding only for the first three years of its operations, to expire in December 1992. Thereafter the GFL was expected to be self-funding.

GFL provides training in the basics of cutting and sewing skills and in the operation of the sophisticated high-speed cutting and stitching machines used by most garment factories. It also provides training for sewing machine mechanics, and in both these two skill areas it issues its own certificates of proficiency.

The future funding of the GFL is exercising the minds of those in its governing body a great deal, especially when it appears that there is a general reluctance being shown by the garment industry as a whole to absorb the costs of GFL's operations and future development, while at the same time paying a training levy to the FNTC from which they do not often seek any return in terms of training. One distinct possibility that could be examined in this regard is to dissolve the company status of the GFL and bring it under the wings of the FNTC as the Garment Industry Training Board. The other possibility is for it to continue to operate as a training institution under the wings of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

6.7 FIJI FORESTRY SCHOOL


The Fiji Forestry School is located in the Western Division of Viti Levu and provides basic training in forestry skills for trainees who eventually obtain employment as Forest Rangers in the Ministry of Forests and with the Fiji Pine Limited. In addition the Forestry Research Station at Nasinu, close to Suva, provides training for saw doctors whenever there is a demand for such training.

The Fiji Forestry School operates as an expenditure item of the Ministry of Forests. Diploma and Degree qualifications in forestry are sought from overseas institutions.

6.8 THE CENTRE FOR APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT


The CATD was established as a result of a Joint Venture Agreement executed on 29 November 1980 between the Fiji Government (represented by the Ministry of Fijian Affairs and Rural Development) and the Federal Republic of Germany (represented in Fiji by the Hanns-Seidel Foundation).

The basic objective of the CATD is to improve the standard of living in the rural areas of Fiji by the provision of training in basic sheet metal work, welding, blacksmithing, plumbing, small engine maintenance and repair, carpentry and joinery skills, leadership and small project management, and agricultural skills. Young people selected from all over Fiji spend 18 months in residence at the Centre undergoing training, and by the end of 1993, some 400 students had passed through the Centre.

Specific projects in appropriate technology developed at the Centre include the smokeless (wood burning) stove, more efficient copra driers, water tanks and the installation and maintenance of solar power units.

In addition the Centre provides a venue for Government departments and NGOs to run short training courses, seminars and workshops for representatives from the rural sectors on a whole range of skills programmes considered necessary to enhance and facilitate rural community development. These include Small Business Management, Vanilla Processing and Marketing, Forestry and the Environment, Community Health, Honey Production, Family Planning etc.

7. OTHER INSTITUTIONS



Because the teaching and medical services fall under the general heading of 'essential services' particular emphasis is being made in this draft paper on the impact being made by the graduates of the Fiji School of Nursing, the Fiji Medical School, the Lautoka Teachers' College, Corpus Christi Teachers' College (Catholic) and the recently (1992) established Fiji College of Advanced Education, on the demands for medical and teaching personnel. Suffice to say that in the forseeable future Fiji, through these institutions, will not be able to fully satisfy shortages in these two very important areas.

It is however important to note the ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Education in its attempts to provide a more broad-based education for young people in especially rural secondary schools, by establishing thirty vocational training centres attached to these schools. The courses being run are two-year programmes in:

　　· tailoring and garment production;
　　· catering and food preparation;
　　· carpentry and joinery;
　　· automotive engineering; and
　　· a one-year course in secretarial studies.

While the curricula for these courses are of a standard that would allow successful graduates to enrol in some FIT courses or obtain paid employment at a lower skill level, the courses also provide a trade skill base for rural living. In general these centres have no significant impact on employer needs. In addition there are about 22 private providers of training in a limited number of skills mainly related to secretarial and commercial courses, including computer applications. Apart from two or three of these private institutions which provide training at a relatively high skill level and are linked to Australasian institutions, the others are small with minimum facilities and offer courses at low skill levels by local industry standards.

8. NON-INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING


As indicated earlier in this overview not all training is undertaken at institutions that have been especially set up for training. A great deal of job-specific training is undertaken in-house and on-the-job by most of the larger employers in training centres developed within each organization and with their own certified training officers. Such organizations as the Public Service Commission through the Government Training Centre, Air Pacific Limited, Fiji Electricity Authority, Carpenters Fiji Limited, Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji, Air Terminal Services, Eastern Manufacturing Group (a group of six companies) and Fiji Sugar Corporation are examples of organizations which carry out their own job-specific training in certain skill areas in-house.

In all in-house training programmes the FNTC features prominently in covering the cost of training from a grant of funds up to 90 per cent of the value of the levy paid to the FNTC for training, and in the provision of resource personnel from the Industry Training Boards to help with the training.

9. ACCREDITATION AND RECOGNITION



As indicated earlier in the references made on institutionalized training, most of the institutions mentioned issue their own certificates of qualification.

The Fiji Institute of Technology provides formal accreditation for all the courses that it runs. Successful students are awarded with either a Certificate or a Diploma of the Institute at the annual graduation ceremony.

For pre-service graduates these qualifications serve as job entry qualifications into particular skill areas under which training has taken place. For people already in employment and sponsored by their employers the training provides skills enhancement, more particularly if the graduate is also awarded a craft certificate awarded by the Fiji National Training Council under its National Apprenticeship Scheme.

In addition to being recognized locally, the FIT Certificate and Diploma are also recognized for entry into certain job levels in Australasia, particularly if it is backed up by an FNTC Certificate of Apprenticeship and Trade Course Certificate.

Because the training courses run by the FNTC are of short duration and run for people already in employment, the FNTC issues a Certificate of Participation. On the other hand the National Apprenticeship Scheme for which the FIT provides the institutional training is managed by the FNTC, which issues a Trade Course Certificate on successful completion of the programme and Certificate of Apprenticeship for successful completion of on-the-job training. These Certificates equate to Class II (e.g. Class II Fitter/Machinist) in the FNTC Trade Testing Scheme and are an accepted qualification in Australasia.

Under its trade test curricula and scheme developed under the auspices of the ILO, the FNTC issues certificates of proficiency for three trade levels. Also, the recently commissioned FNTC Computer Training Centre awards certificates of proficiency in the computer application programmes in which training has been received.

As already indicated the skills training received at the Montfort Boys Town culminates with the issuance of an FNTC Grade III Trade Certificate, in addition to the Boys Town certificate which covers the trainees' total life experience on the Boys Town campus.

The Diploma issued by the Fiji College of Agriculture in Tropical Agriculture is an external diploma of the University of the South Pacific and therefore has regional recognition. It is also of a standard that allows it to be used as a pre-qualification for entry into the USP's degree programme in agriculture, and as such the College will enrol students from the region who wish to follow the course of studies it offers. Also, as already indicated, the graduates from this College find employment mainly as Field Officers in the Ministry of Primary Industries and the Fiji Sugar Corporation, and to a lesser extent as Veterinary Officers, agricultural research assistants, and laboratory assistants and technicians.

The qualification issued by Garments Fiji Limited is a Certificate of Completion for machinists, sewing machine mechanics and supervisors. The training qualification is recognized by the local garment industry, and according to factory owners relocated from overseas to Fiji to take advantage of the TFF and TFZ schemes, the graduates would fit in well in garment factories in Australasia and South East Asia. Pre-service graduates are so far having little difficulty in finding employment but further development still needs to be undertaken for GFL to be able to provide more sophisticated skills training and then to even venture into the field of designing.

The Diploma in Telecommunication Engineering offered by the Telecommunications Training Centre has regional acceptance and is also accepted in Australasia as pre-qualification for entry into technician level employment, especially because of the monitoring of training standards by the International Telecommunications Union.

Courses run by the Fiji Forestry School on the other hand are designed to suit only Fiji requirements for the Ministry of Forests and the Fiji Pine Limited and has no currency outside Fiji.

The Centre for Appropriate Technology and Development as already indicated provides only training in skills for rural living and its "certificates" are not used as a job entry qualification, and so its relevant impact on the local job market is virtually nil.

10. IMPACT OF TRAINING ON THE LABOUR MARKET



All impact studies in this general area of training became obsolete after the coups of 1987 when there was a sudden drop in economic activity. The most salient feature of the manpower situation after 1987 was the emigration of between 5000-6000 persons per year between 1987 and 1990. In 1991 alone some 1300 emigrants were occupationally classified as professional, technical, administrative, managerial, clerical and supervisory, according to information provided by the Bureau of Statistics.

Since Government has not undertaken a complete manpower resources study since 1987, there is no primary documentation available for reference. The "evaluation" of the effectiveness of vocational training given here is therefore anecdotal and based on the verbal opinions of the employers and trainees interviewed.

The FIT is satisfied that through its industry contacts, the various schools and Boards, it is responding adequately to the technical training requirements of industry, especially at the trades levels, but needs further development for it to be able to provide the full range of courses at the technician levels and also in advanced technology. The assistance it has received through the Auckland Institute of Technology, New Zealand and particularly through the most recent EC aid package in equipment purchase, curriculum development and staff training has given it the assurance of adequate standards, but its shortage of trained teachers with appropriate academic qualifications and industrial experience, together with the rigid set of approvals under which it operates, acts as a straitjacket to further development.

But as of 1992 the FIT has been given more autonomy in the use of its resources with a view to eventually developing it into a polytechnic. A Master Plan to allow for this to eventuate is in the process of being developed. Once this happens then the FIT will come of age and operate at the level of similar institutions in Australasia.

The Fiji National Training Council is the other large provider of vocational training, especially through its Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Schemes, and other short training courses dealing with the enhancement and upgrading of specific skill areas. In the minds of the recipients of training and their sponsoring organizations, it has continued to fill a gap in training which the FIT does not have the flexibility to provide.

But the FNTC has been providing this type of training activity for the last 20 years without developing a strong consultancy component in the service it provides. This deficiency is being addressed now with staff retraining plans in the processes of being developed. The other criticism of the FNTC is that it has not been able to satisfy the training requirements of the small employer. While it will mount a group training scheme for groups of small employers, the initiative for the formation of these groups is largely left to the employers themselves rather than being spearheaded by the institution, which is prepared. A Mobile Training Scheme introduced in 1992 is attempting to address this problem for rural employers.

Furthermore most of the training programmes are run during the day when small employers can ill-afford to release employees for one day, let alone for courses which run from one to sometimes twelve weeks, depending on the particular course programme. There are not enough courses being run during the evenings or on Saturdays when workers from small organizations can attend. As a result most of the small employers have continued to pay their training levies for the last 20 years without deriving any training benefits at all from the levy thus paid. Clearly a change in the overall strategy for the FNTC is urgently required.

In-so-far as the other job-related training mentioned in this brief account is concerned they appear to be satisfactory from the point of view of both the employers and the trainees. An in-depth study is however absolutely necessary to catalogue the vocational education and training scene in detail and to determine true impact on the economy.

11. FUTURE DIRECTIONS



From all accounts vocational training in Fiji continues at the same tempo as it did pre-coups and with a remarkable lack of a sense of urgency to forge new policies and directions. Towards this end, a Government statement on training issued at the 1991 National Economic Summit sounds a warning bell viz:

　　Expansion in the manufacturing sector is placing a strain on the availability of a pool of skilled labour. Training 　　organizations such as the Fiji Institute of Technology and the Fiji National Training Council are responding to this 　　need. Efforts are being made to ensure that training is responsive to the requirements of the private sector, and 　　that the private sector plays as great a role as possible in training.

It becomes very clear therefore at the macro level that there is a need to examine the extent to which as many of the training organizations as possible can be linked with one another in a way that will avoid any duplication of effort and result in the most efficient division of labour and utilization of scarce resources. Co-ordination of effort is therefore absolutely essential.

One way of achieving this is to set up by statute an umbrella organization with a tripartite configuration which is empowered to effect this co-ordination. Such a body would not conflict with the FNTC which should be re-titled the Fiji Training and Productivity Council and which should then become more active through its Training and Productivity Boards in providing consultancies for the promotion of productivity concepts in the workplace, as well as continue with the short skills enhancement courses that it has been providing hitherto. Such a development would have implications on staff quality at the FNTC.

In order to keep up with new technological advances in industry the FIT needs to be freed from the shackles that binds it to the rigid rules of a Government department and to be given autonomy, preferably as a statutory body, to develop into a degree or high national diploma awarding institution. Fortunately this move has already begun and it is hoped that the process can be concluded within a reasonable time frame.

12. POLICY ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FUTURE

One of the major hurdles in the modernisation of technical and vocational education and training in Fiji as already indicated is the heavy emphasis on the processes of training in a situation where there are no firm policies to determine the direction of training. "Policy" here is taken to mean decisions taken by the government which are then translated into process by administrators.

The latest attempt by Government is one chapter on "Vocational and Technical Training" in a publication called "Opportunities for Growth" which sets out "Policies and Strategies" for the economy in the short to medium term. As can be expected from such a cursory treatment of a very important subject it is devoid of the ingredients for the development of a policy environment that would direct the processes of vocational education and training towards the achievement of the general objectives of human resource development for social and economic enhancement.

It is clear from this brief account of the status quo in vocational education and training in Fiji that there is an urgent need for the development of an alternative approach which for effectiveness must create the appropriate policy environment. The definition of "policy environment" here is adapted from that used by Dr William C Hall* in his presentation to the ILO (APSDEP) Regional Programming Meeting on Policy Support to Vocational Training Programmes in Japan in 1993 and is taken to mean the effective combination of those forces within the economy to determine the development of vocational education and training policy. These forces can be identified as politics, economics, labour market, training programmes, delivery (to include structure, facilities, deliverers) and trainees.

* Policy Environment of Vocational Education and Training at National Levels in the Asia Pacific Region. Chiba, Japan, March 1993.

For these forces to work in concert towards the overall objective of vocational education and training for social and economic development calls for the creation and acceptance of an effective model. Again the model used here has been adapted from and is a variation of that put forward by Dr Hall in his paper to ILO (APSDEP) in 1993.

The model indicates that the interaction between the three major forces of politics, the labour market which in this model means the employees or the workforce, and economics which is taken here as the owners of the resources for industry and trade, contribute towards the development of vocational training policy with the political system eventually and solely responsible for the decisions on policy.

Political decisions are often geared towards the introduction of short-term quick-fix training solutions for labour market skills problems. Considering the rapid advances not only in industrial technology but also in management systems there is a valid case against setting training policies with long-term goals.

Although labour market forecasting can often be unreliable the information obtained is nevertheless absolutely essential for the development of policy. Unfortunately in Fiji at this time there is virtually no information obtained through primary investigations into sectoral skills and training requirements to assist Government into taking policy decisions that would lead to the development of new programmes and the retraining of the deliverers of vocational education and training to provide industry with the manpower needed to cater for the rapid influx of new technologies and management systems.

By the same token while it was deemed appropriate that the generation as such information is the responsibility of government, the employers of skilled labour, especially those in the private sector must, for reason of survival in a highly competitive market, also assume the responsibility of identifying sectoral skills and training needs and utilise their unique position in the economy to influence government policy directions.

The need for an umbrella body to co-ordinate vocational and technical education has already been mentioned. In addition this body could on the basis of empirical studies provide the necessary advice to government of policy directions, and also make determinations on national standards and accreditation. It is essential that Fiji qualifications have international currency.

In the absence of any positive moves by government towards the implementation of the "programme being drawn up with the assistance of the World Bank and donor agencies which ensure market related output from school and training institutions to strengthen economic performance, job opportunities and levels of remuneration in the medium and long term", as indicated in the government policy document "Opportunities for Growth" (chapter 5, p.43), alternative catalysts for the process need be considered. Indeed, if the "programme" mentioned above is in the process of being developed, it is yet to be made public and therefore not available for comment.

The Human Resource Development Conference planned for the FNTC for the end of 1994 with the theme "Towards the Year 2000 and Beyond" for employers, workers unions, providers of training and the arms of the government concerned with training might as well give rise to recommendations that government could use the determination of policy directions and the development of programs in vocational education and training if the correct mix of inputs for the conference is achieved.

In the meantime, apart from the gradual progress of the FIT towards autonomy in 1995, and the greater emphasis on courses in Quality Management by the FNTC as indicated by the acquisition of the franchise on all quality management courses developed by the Australian Quality College it is unlikely in the light of other developmental priorities for there to be any visible changes in the TVE scene in Fiji in the next couple of years or so.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I

Gross Domestic Product by Sectors, 1988-1994

($Million at 1977 Prices)

SECTOR		1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993 Prov	1994 Est
1. Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing		170.0	189.6	181.9	179.4	184.9	184.6	186.9
	Sugar Cane	62.1	79.0	70.0	66.7	73.1	75.6	73.5
	Other Crops	25.6	26.4	27.9	27.6	26.8	25.0	27.2
	Livestock Products	7.3	7.4	7.5	7.7	7.8	7.8	8.0
	Fishing	12.5	13.0	11.7	11.7	11.6	11.7	12.0
	Forestry	11.6	12.5	12.9	13.2	12.1	12.8	13.5
	Subsistence	50.9	51.2	51.8	52.5	53.3	51.7	52.7
2. Mining and Quarrying		1.9	1.9	1.8	1.2	1.6	1.7	1.8
3. Manufacturing		83.2	92.8	99.1	103.7	102.9	108.0	112.8
	Sugar	24.1	30.6	27.0	25.8	28.2	29.3	28.5
	Other Food Industries	26.4	27.4	29.1	32.1	31.6	30.1	31.6
	Other Industries	30.1	32.2	40.2	43.1	40.3	45.9	49.9
	Self Employment	2.6	2.6	2.7	2.7	2.7	2.8	2.8
4. Electricity, Water, Gas		9.6	10.1	10.6	11.0	12.0	12.3	12.7
5. Construction		29.2	33.6	36.7	45.9	57.2	42.6	45.0
6. Trade, Hotels, Cafes, etc.		130.3	160.7	183.4	172.6	168.8	183.2	194.3
	Wholesale and Retail Trade	107.5	132.8	153.1	144.0	139.8	152.8	162.9
	Hotels, Cafes, etc.	22.8	27.9	30.3	28.6	29.1	30.3	31.4
7. Transport and Communications		94.6	111.1	119.6	120.1	126.9	131.6	134.3
	Transport	79.9	96.2	104.6	104.9	111.6	116.1	118.7
	Communications	14.7	14.9	15.0	15.2	15.3	15.5	15.6
8. Finance, Insurance etc.		96.4	99.4	106.2	111.3	116.0	120.0	123.6
	Finance	22.7	24.4	28.7	31.6	34.2	36.1	37.8
	Insurance	8.7	9.0	9.2	9.5	9.8	10.2	10.5
	Ownership Dwelling	39.7	40.0	40.4	41.0	41.6	42.2	42.9
9. Community and Social Services		132.9	138.6	141.2	143.3	146.8	149.8	152.8
LESS: Imputed Bank Service Ch.		22.6	24.4	28.6	31.5	34.1	35.9	37.6
G.D.P. at Factor Cost:		726.8	815.1	853.6	858.5	844.8	899.6	928.4
% Change on Previous Year		2.1	12.2	4.7	0.6	3.1	1.7	3.2
Memorandum Items
GDP at Current Factor Cost		1433	1661	1811	1942	2059	2200	2362
Sugar Production (000 tonnes)		363	461	408	389	426	442	430
Visitor Arrivals (000s)		208	251	279	259	279	287	295

Source: Bureau of Statistics, Central Planning Office

APPENDIX II


List of Documents Cited

1. Fiji Institute of Technology Prospectus, 1994.

2. Fiji Institute of Technology Annual Report, 1989.

3. Fiji National Training Council Handbook, 1994.

4. Fiji National Training Council Annual Report, 1991.

5. Review of Performance and Prospects of the Fiji Economy Proposed by the Fiji Government for the National Economic Summit, 1991.

6. Report of the FNTC Review Committee, April 1987.

7. Fiji - Performance and Prospects of Education, Training and Health Services, World Bank Report, June 1990.

8. Vocational Training for Advanced Technology in Fiji Draft APSDEP/ILO Report, July 1991.

9. "Opportunities for Growth": Policies and Strategies for Fiji in the Medium Term, February 1993.

10 "Pacific Regional Post Secondary Education Study". Pacific Island Series No. 2 Volume 3 Fiji, World Bank, May 1993.

11. "Employment and Manpower in Fiji - Recent Trends and Outlook for 10th Development Plan". Employment Promotion, Manpower Planning and Labour Administration in the Pacific (EMPLA). ILO/UNDP/AIDAB - August 1992.

12. 1994 Fiji Government Budget Supplement.

APPENDIX III

The Mission and Goals of the Fiji Institute of Technology

Mission

The Mission of the Fiji Institute of Technology is to provide a broad spectrum of post-secondary courses, particularly in technical and vocational education in accordance with educational policies of the Government of Fiji and the needs of the industry, placing emphasis on the pursuit of excellence and equity.

Values

The Fiji Institute of Technology values:

· Quality in all its educational programmes and the environment in which staff and students work;

· Creativity, innovation, scholarship, research and excellence in teaching;

· People and their needs as individuals, Equity;

· Effectiveness, efficiency and accountability;

· The importance of reducing the educational gap between indigenous Fijians.

Goals

The Fiji Institute of Technology has four main goals: education, management, equity and entrepreneurial.

Educational

The main educational goal of the Fiji Institute of Technology is to provide learning opportunities of quality and relevance by:

· Periodically revising its educational programmes to reflect advances in knowledge and technology and the requirements of the job market; and

· providing staff with educational opportunities to equip them with knowledge and skills so that they can maintain the highest standards of teaching research and scholarship.

Management

The main management goal of the Fiji Institute of Technology is to maintain a work environment conducive to learning and teaching particularly by:

· Formulating staff policies which reflect good management practice;
· Providing opportunities for staff to enhance their full development as individuals
· Providing opportunities for students to promote their full development as individuals;
· Maintaining a consultative and collaborate style of administration;
· Upgrading work environment and teaching facilities.

Equity

The main goal of the Fiji Institute of Technology in relation to equity is to provide appropriate educational opportunities for all students according to their qualifications, preferences interest and needs consistent with the policy of the Government of Fiji to reduce the gap between indigenous Fijians and persons of other races.

Entrepreneurial

It is an important goal of the Fiji Institute of Technology to participate in activities, including teaching, consultancy and research, which generate resources to supplement grants financial assistance from the Government of Fiji and other sources and to respond to the needs of the industry and the community at large.

APPENDIX IV

National Trade Testing Board Annual Statistics for the Year 1993

* Government Apprentices - G
* Private Apprentices - P

30 July 1994

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

REGISTERED

COMPLETED

TERMINATED

NET TOTAL IN TRAINING

G

P

G

P

G

P

G

P

G

P

G

P

G

P

G