Government schools that lost chaplains years ago due to a change in regulations, have this week reinstated by Cabinet.

In a statement, the reinstatement of chaplains will be made for Government schools while non-Government schools will have a cost-sharing arrangement in place to help them with the cost of having a chaplain.

“A school chaplain refers to a cleric (such as minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, pundit or imam) or a lay representative of a religious body, attached to a school.”

Cabinet also agreed that chaplains in non-government schools be funded on a cost – sharing basis from the Free Education Grant (FEG).”

“Cabinet approved the reinstatement of school chaplain positions in government schools. Funding for these positions will be made available through the Ministry of Education.

“School chaplains will be guided by the School Chaplaincy Policy. The reinstatement of school chaplains is part of the People’s Coalition Government’s commitment to mitigate the escalating social problems amongst young people in Fiji.”