Fiji

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Fiji is an archipelago of about 300 islands (100 inhabited) and 540 islets, spread over three million sq km. It has a population of over 925,000 (World Bank, 2022).

As host to COL’s regional centre, the Pacific Centre for Flexible and Open Learning for Development (PACFOLD), COL works closely with partners to strengthen Fiji’s education and training systems, particularly in the areas of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and data resilience through the Partnership for Open, Distance and Flexible Learning (ODFL) in the Pacific, a project jointly implemented with PACFOLD. Fiji is also an active member of the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) network and benefits from programmes offered through COL’s regional centre. In addition, learners from Fiji participate in COL’s free open online courses and make use of a wide range of openly available learning resources and capacity-building initiatives.

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 15-64 years old¹
13.8%		12.5%
Female (2016)		Male (2016)

Completion rate, lower secondary education for the school year ending in 2021¹
94.9%		84.1%
Female		Male

Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for the school year ending in 2019¹
64.1%		43.4%
Female		Male

Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications in secondary education¹
100%		100%
Female (2012)		Male (2012)

1. UNESCO Institute for Statistics Data Centre, retrieved in May 2023

Highlights

4,700+ teachers trained to provide effective learner support in ODL contexts.
2,300+ youth trained in leadership and practical skills leading to employability.
Building the capacity of TVET practitioners through national coordinators.
Development of online learning resources for teachers: ODL Course Catalogue, National OER Collection Site, and Online TVET Toolkit.
A National ODL Policy Framework for in-service Teacher Training was approved in December 2024.

Partners

Partnerships are fundamental to COL’s work. Strategic partnerships allow COL to broaden its reach and engage at global, regional and national levels, while implementation partners support COL’s work in communities and institutions across Commonwealth Member States. Partners include multilateral organisations, regional bodies, national governments, government agencies, foundations, civil society organisations, public and private (not-for-profit) institutions and the private sector. COL partnerships assist in improving and extending teaching and learning services to people in the developing Commonwealth.

COL’s partners in Fiji include:

Ministry of Education
Fiji National University
Fiji Teachers Registration Authority
Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises & Development
Pacific Centre for Flexible and Open Learning for Development (PACFOLD)
Pacific Polytech
University of the South Pacific

Literacy rate
n/a		n/a
Female, Adult (15+)		Male, Adult (15+)

Economic Activity – Labour Forces Participation (2016)¹
40.9%		79.8%
Female, Ages 15-64		Male, Ages 15-64

Political Decision Making (2022)¹
10.9%
Share of seats held by women in national parliament

Life expectancy (2023)¹
70.3		65.9
Female		Male

1. COL gender country profile October 2023

88	110
Individuals using the internet (%)¹	Mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹

2.5	76
Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹	Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants¹




1. International Telecommunication Union (ITU), retrieved in May 2023.

Fiji

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