Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the Ministry of Finance will assist in ensuring teachers affected by salary payment issues receive their outstanding payments.

Rabuka says the situation should never have escalated to this point, stressing that teachers who have reported for duty and carried out their responsibilities should not be left uncertain about when they will be paid.

He says teachers hold a special responsibility in society and, after parents and families, are among the principal guardians and stewards of Fiji’s young people.

Rabuka says the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education must work together to resolve the issue without further delay.

“The immediate priority is for all affected teachers to receive what is owed to them as quickly as possible,” he says.

He says there must also be an examination of how the situation arose and what improvements are needed to prevent a recurrence.

“Teachers should be able to focus on what we ask of them: educating, guiding and caring for Fiji’s children. They should not have to worry about whether they will receive the salaries they have earned.”