A major step has been taken in the education sector in Fiji with cabinet approving the Fiji National University (FNU) Decree 2009 which will see the merge of six education institutions in the country.

The decree establishes the Fiji National University which will merge the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT), the Fiji School of Medicine (FSM), the Fiji School of Nursing (FSN), the Lautoka Teachers College, the Fiji College of Advance Education and the Fiji College of Agriculture.

Earlier this year an interim committee was set up to carry out the necessary preparatory work in order for the University to commence operations from January 2010.

Minister for Education Filipe Bole revealed that the committee has proposed that the six institutions be merged by re-organizing the activities of the institutions into five separate colleges under the FNU.

These will be the College of Medicine, Health Science and Nursing, comprising the FSM and FSN, the College of Humanities and Education which will consist the two teachers colleges, LTC and FCAE and the FIT's Faculty of Humanities, Communication and Creative Arts.

The other college will be the College of Engineering, Science and Technology, the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the College of Business and Hospitality Studies.

Bole said each of these colleges will be headed by a Dean or Director who shall report to the Vice Chancellor of the Fiji National University.

He said the model accepted is that TVET would permeate all streams of education and training at the University which will provide for a multiple entry and multiple exit philosophy giving students the choice to do a course and joining the work force and later return to attain higher level of education.

Under the FNU decree, a University Senate will soon be appointed to regulate the academic affairs of the University.