The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is supporting the Ministry of Education in Fiji in building the capacity of teachers to develop digital education leadership skills.
A three-day training of trainers’ workshop on Commonwealth Digital Education Leadership Training in Action (C-DELTA) was recently held in Suva for over 30 teachers, principals and Ministry of Education officials. The objective of the training was to prepare a pool of expert trainers who could provide training across the Fiji island schools to promote digital education and help teachers integrate information and communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning.
Participants explored the transformative role of digital identity, responsible digital citizenship, and the creation and open sharing of digital artefacts. The training also underscored the importance of cybersecurity and responsible use of emerging technologies, including Generative Artificial Intelligence, within a pedagogical framework.
Following this and three days of deliberations, the Ministry of Education in Fiji organised a national consultation on the draft ICT in education policy. The policy was developed through an evidence-based approach covering desktop research and a survey of the stakeholders in the context of the growing importance of ICTs in improving quality learning outcomes emphasised by the 2022 call of the United Nations Transforming Education Summit to prioritise digital education for all and focus on content, capacity and connectivity as the pillars for providing quality education for the public good. Over 45 key stakeholders representing various organisations in Fiji participated in the consultation and provided their input to improve the draft policy.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education at the workshop opening, Deputy Secretary Primary/Secondary Mr Timoci Bure said, “The ICT in Education Policy is designed to align with the strategic policies and priorities outlined in Fiji’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2025 – 2029 and Vision 2050 by focusing on equipping students with essential skills in technology, critical thinking, and problem-solving, which are crucial for fostering innovation and enhancing productivity in various sectors.”
Dr Sanjaya Mishra, COL’s Education Specialist: Technology-Enabled Learning, facilitated the two workshops and commended the Ministry of Education’s initiative. He emphasised, “The ICT in education policy and the increasing access to ICT tools in Fiji will provide an enabling environment for integrating appropriate ICTs in teaching and learning.”
Dr Mishra concluded by noting that “the Ministry of Education was also aware of the need to expand Internet access in schools and that several initiatives, including the Giga initiative, were currently underway. He observed that, in the absence of sufficient local teacher capacity, the available infrastructure might not be fully utilised, and therefore highlighted the importance of ongoing professional development for teachers.”
