Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Fiji (Ratification: 2013)

Articles 1 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of vocational guidance and training policies and programmes. The Government reports that the development process of the first national vocational education and training (TVET) policy was initiated in 2020. The process is being coordinated by the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts (MEHA) and the Technology and Employment Skills Training (TEST) Department, with the support of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC). In addition, the TVET policy will be developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, such as the Fiji National University, the National Employment Center (NEC) and the Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC). The Government reports that two consultative meetings have been held in this regard, in which two key issues were highlighted. First, it is necessary to make the population of Fiji aware of the importance of TVET as a driving force for Fiji’s economy, given that an estimated 80 per cent of employment opportunities are TVET-related. Second, it is necessary to undergo a major transformation to ensure that trainings are aligned with current and future labour market needs. The Committee nevertheless notes the Government’s indication that the development of the TVET policy was delayed due to restrictions imposed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the process would continue once the restrictions were lifted. Lastly, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning the range of programmes offered by the former Technical College of Fiji (TCF). It notes that during the period from 2015 to 2019, 5,011 programme participants graduated in the 12 National Qualifications (NFQs) offered by the TCF. The Government also reports that the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board (TSLB) has continued to sponsor students. In addition, the Committee notes that the 2018 National Employment Policy includes among its strategic actions the adoption of measures to ensure that the education and training provided, particularly to young people aged 15 to 24, is relevant in relation to the current and future needs of the labour market. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information concerning developments relating to the formulation of the TVET policy and to supply a copy of the policy once it has been adopted. The Committee further requests the Government to continue to provide detailed updated information on the nature, scope and impact of the policies, programmes and measures on vocational guidance and training, including those implemented in the framework of the 2018 National Employment Policy, as well as on the manner in which they are aligned with national employment objectives.

Collection and use of education and training information. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government regarding the set of measures taken to address the lack of data collected on education and training, such as the implementation of the Fiji Education Management Information (FEMIS2) project, which is aimed at compiling data on post-secondary students in the national education database in order to be able to track students from Early Childhood Education (ECE) to higher education. The Government nevertheless indicates that the project is currently on hold. The Government refers to implementation of the PAC Sims software provided by the Education Quality and Assessment programme (EQAP) of the Pacific Community (SPC) to collect data on the NQs offered by national higher education institutions (HEIs). The Government also reports that it has carried out a “graduate outcomes survey”, which for the first time provides comprehensive data on the outcomes with regard to employment, earnings and skills of graduates of the higher education system. The Committee requests the Government to supply information on developments in terms of lessons learned from the data compiled on employment after completion of training courses offered by the higher education institutes and technical colleges. The Committee further requests the Government to provide information on the status of the Fiji Education Management Information (FEMIS2) project. In addition, it requests the Government to provide information on the outcome of the “graduate outcomes survey”.

Article 2. Vocational education and training system. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that a review of the TVET system was carried out in 2018, which identified two main challenges: the labour market’s inability to produce enough workers with the required skills for a growing, modernising, and diverse economy; and the failure of the TVET system to provide the incentives and capabilities required to address labour market shortcomings. The report also highlighted that no forum exists to enable a joint discussion to inform TVET policy formulation. It therefore recommended the establishment of a body consolidating the functions of the relevant Ministries responsible for TVET planning (including the Ministry of Economy (MOE) and the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations (MEPIR)), as well as the national institutions responsible for collecting relevant inputs on the subject. In this regard, the Government indicates that measures have been taken towards the establishment of the Skills Council Fiji (SCF), an independent national agency tasked with coordinating TVET. The SCF’s main responsibilities will include leading the regular review of national qualification and standards as well as ensuring the relevance and quality of programmes; serving as a formal platform for enterprises to be able to participate in the development of TVET; establishing a system to collect data on current and future demands for TVET knowledge and skills capacity development; identifying the causes for the current growing skills mismatch and providing advice to address these; and setting up systems to regularly monitor the supply and demand of TVET. The Government adds that the number of TCF campuses expanded from 3 to 15 during the reporting period to provide access to learners in the rural areas and outlying islands. However, the TCF was merged under the Fiji National University (FNU) in 2019 due to the high operational costs of maintaining all the campuses and delivering the Fiji Qualifications Framework (FQF). The FNU is in the process of integrating the former TCF into the College of TVET studies. The Government reports that 154 National Qualifications (NQs) have been developed by the FHEC. Lastly, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the FHEC will continue to work with the HEIs to develop a series of learning and career pathways from secondary school to higher education, and to increase the number of students that progress from secondary to higher education. The Government indicates that a set of measures have been taken in this regard, including the development of new NQs on information technology, office technology, agriculture and applied technology in alignment with the existing TVET subjects in secondary schools, and the organization of workshops and provision of training to teachers, TEST officers, secondary schools and staff of the MEHA. Finally, the Government refers to the implementation of the Moodle platform, which is designed to host online assessment moderation, moderation training and assessors training. It also indicates that a National Certificate in Teaching Technical and Vocational Education and Training will be offered and monitored by the FHEC. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the status of the establishment of the SCF. The Committee also requests the Government to provide detailed updated information, disaggregated by sex, on the impact of the measures taken to increase the number of students progressing from secondary to higher education.

Article 3. Vocational training and guidance for disadvantaged groups. The Committee notes that the Government indicates that in 2020 the FHEC carried out an analysis of Fiji’s higher education system with a view to assessing current issues and identifying challenges in terms of access and equity. The Committee observes, however, that the Government does not provide information on the measures taken with regard to vocational training and guidance programmes targeting specific groups with nationally identified special needs (such as young persons or older workers). The Committee therefore reiterates its request that the Government provide updated detailed information on measures taken or envisaged in relation to vocational training and vocational guidance programmes targeting young persons, persons with disabilities as well as older workers, in addition to other specific groups with nationally identified special needs (see Paragraph 5(h) of the Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195)). It also requests the Government to provide information on the outcome of the analysis of the higher education system in terms of access and equity.

Article 4. Lifelong learning. The Committee notes the statistical information provided by the Government, disaggregated by sector and sex, regarding the number of workers that undertook trainings to acquire the new national qualifications on tourism, sports, forestry, security, wholesale and retail, and agriculture. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated and detailed information, including statistical data disaggregated by sex and age, on the nature and impact of measures adopted to ensure that vocational training programmes cover different segments of the economy and are adapted to the changing requirements of individuals throughout their lives.

Article 5. Cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Government reiterates that the Industry Standards Advisory Committees (ISACs) are composed by representatives of the industry, HEIs, professional bodies, licensing agencies and different ministries and national institutions, which assist and advise the FHEC in identifying the needs of the industry and developing new qualifications. The Committee nevertheless observes that the Government once again does not provide information on the manner in which employers’ and workers’ organizations are consulted with regard to the formulation and implementation of vocational guidance and training policies and programmes. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed updated information on the manner in which the cooperation of employers’ and workers’ organizations is ensured in the formulation and implementation of vocational training policies and programmes, including the TVET policy, as required pursuant to Article 5 of the Convention.