OPENING SPEECH BY H.E. MR JAMES BATLEY AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO FIJI AT THE LAUNCH OF THE TVET/ENTERPRISE EDUCATION EXPO, KSATRIYA HALL, SUVA, FIJI 9 -12 AUGUST 2007

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I am honoured to have been invited to officially open the three concurrent expos taking place in Suva, Nadi and Labasa over the course of this week.

According to a study conducted by the Asian Development Bank in 2006, every year over 17,000 new entrants join the labour market in Fiji, including about 14,000 school leavers. Ironically, as many employers in Fiji know, despite this large number of new entrants to the labour market, there is still a skills shortage in many areas.

So there is a mis-match between the supply of new workers and the demand for skilled labour, which is holding back the nation’s economic development.

It is this mis-match which the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training strategy – with the support of donors such as Australia – is designed to address.

The Ministry recognises TVET as a priority area, playing an important role as one of its four supporting pillars in children’s educational development. This is reflected in the Ministry’s Strategic Plan 2006-2008 and the Suva Declaration 2005.

The Expos which we are launching today are part of a broader strategy on the part of the Ministry to inform parents and the community of the opportunities available through TVET in Fiji.

In the contemporary labour market, not only in Fiji but worldwide, job opportunities are found in the areas where technical skills are required. The traditional view that most of our students should be trained for white-collar jobs is no longer realistic. So too, might I add, is the view that white collar careers are always better paid than careers in technical and vocational areas.

Vocational Education and Training refers to all forms of training provided in both the formal and non-formal sectors that lead to an occupation or vocation. Vocational Education in the secondary school system is designed to prepare semi-skilled workers through practical training and knowledge to meet industry and market needs. Fiji has 66 Vocational Centres in the Secondary school system, offering 129 courses in total, including courses such as Automotive Engineering, Hospitality, Carpentry and Joinery, Agriculture and Office Technology.

The Expos we’re launching today will showcase successful enterprises in schools that have received $500 each in seeding grants, and associated teacher training, from the Australian Government-funded Fiji Education Sector Program (FESP). The variety of enterprises is impressive, including beekeeping, aquaculture, mobile lovo and hydroponics.

The Expos will provide an opportunity for 32 schools to showcase their courses to the public throughout Fiji. The launching will also give the Ministry the opportunity to advocate its new TVET Vision, Mission and Strategic Direction.

Australia also recognises TVET as a priority area.

We have been supporting TVET and Enterprise Education in Fiji since 2004, as part of Australia’s five year program of assistance to the education sector, which is valued at around FJD34 million. This expo itself is being funded by the Ministry, by Australia’s education program and by the Fiji Electricity Authority. This three-way partnership is, in itself, a powerful symbol of the opportunities for industry and employers on the one hand, and government on the other, to promote TVET and bridge the gap between the education sector and the needs of the labour market.

The Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC) is another example of our work in the area of Technical and Vocational training. This Australian Government initiative was originally announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Howard, at the 2005 Forum meeting. This first campus opened its doors recently in Vanuatu.

Australia is providing around A$150 million in funding for the APTC through to 2011.

It will deliver world class vocational education and training to Pacific Island students in the areas of tourism and hospitality, automotive, manufacturing, construction and electrical, and health and community services.

APTC training centres will be co-located with partner institutions in the four campus countries – Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. The training offered by the APTC will complement, not compete with, courses offered by local institutions. In this country, the partner institutions are the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT), the Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji (TPAF), Asco Motors and Fiji Gas. We expect the APTC to commence offering training in Fiji by late November 2007 for the automotive, construction/electrical schools, with Hospitality and Tourism expected to commence ealy next year.

To ensure that APTC courses are accessible to a wide range of Pacific Islanders, including students from poorer backgrounds and remote locations, $A10 million has been allocated to a scholarships program over four years, starting in 2008.

Australia looks forward to continuing to support the Ministry of Education, Science and Training, and industry, by supporting TVET initiatives to offer exciting career pathways for students and to meet labour market needs here in Fiji.

I wish you best over the coming week and declare the 2007 TVET and Enterprise Education Expo open.