Interim Education Minister, Netani Sukanaivalu has managed to get the approval from the interim cabinet of an Action Plan for education service delivery without discrimination.

Sukanaivalu said education delivery in Fiji has been marred by various shades of discrimination over the years and much of this was not intentional but rather a result by association with different cultural groups forming education interests.

While making the submission to cabinet on behalf of Sukanaivalu, Interim Public Service Minister Poseci Bune said many schools in Fiji are identified with particular ethnic groups through their names. He said the composition of the staff and the committees in these schools are predominantly of one ethnic group.

While these cases could sometimes be unavoidable, Bune said the current practice of naming schools, staffing of schools, and the trends in school enrolment have not advanced the call made by successive governments for tolerance, harmony and unity in diversity.

He also said the improvement of rural education has largely remained an elusive target since independence. Bune goes on to say that the race-based policies through the Affirmative Action programs can be perceived as flawed because they benefit some schools at the expense of others that are equally in need of state subsidy through these programs.

Consultations on the Action Plan will begin soon.