Fiji has begun work on three new schools and is considering proposals for several more, as part of a major infrastructure investment aimed at tackling overcrowding, ageing facilities, and termite damage across the country’s public schools.
The $8.7 million allocation, part of the Ministry of Education’s wider $675.4 million education budget share, will be used to address repairs and maintenance, rebuilding of teachers’ quarters and infrastructures around Fiji, with the aim of improving learning environments for thousands of students nationwide.
Work is already underway on the new schools—Vatuwaqa Primary School, Suva Primary School, and Davuilevu Secondary School—funded through a partnership with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The ministry is also reviewing expressions of interest from the vanua to establish additional secondary schools in areas such as Namara (Yasawa), Vuniyasi and Nawaka (Nadi), Namuka, Naweni, Tokaimalo, Naqali, Tacirua, and Nakorosule. Feasibility studies are currently being carried out.
The infrastructure push comes after an audit by DFAT, which found that 45 schools in the Suva–Nausori corridor face classroom overcrowding and the need for more appropriate WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities.
In the West, 44 schools are battling termite infestations, with 11 schools severely affected. Two schools—St. Thomas Primary and Lovu Sangam Primary—are currently schooling under tents, that is, temporary tents provided by UNICEF.
“Many of our school buildings are ageing, with the wear and tear impacting the safety and the quality of learning environment,” Education Minister Aseri Radrodro told Parliament. “They have withstood challenging weathers in the past.
The government is also rescoping and retendering the Kadavu Provincial School project, which has remained incomplete since 2022 due to contractor and oversight issues, Radrodro said.
To address housing shortages for teachers, the ministry is partnering with the UAE Red Crescent Authority, which will assist with the construction of two duplex teachers’ quarters for each of these three schools: Ratu Simione College, Lautoka Methodist College, and Sigatoka Methodist College.
“The project is expected to be completed by December 2025, with a second phase already being planned.”
Radrodro adds that the government’s infrastructure drive is part of a wider effort to build a climate-resilient, inclusive, and future-ready education system—one that can better serve all students regardless of location or background.
“This budget allows us to address long-neglected issues in our schools and lay the foundation for a more equitable and resilient system,” he said.
The ministry’s allocation forms part of a record $847.4 million budget set aside for Fiji’s wider Education sector in the next financial year, which also includes funding for professional development, vocational centres, support for students with special needs, salaries for ECE teachers, support for higher institutions, free education, and TSLS Scholarships.
