Report of a Review of Teacher Education Programmes Fiji National University Review undertaken by the Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities April 2020... Report of an exte
Curriculum and programme development
The Panel carefully considered the context in which the University and its teacher education programmes operate, recognizing the need to meet national (Fiji) and regional (Pacific) requirements while maintaining international standards It acknowledged the complexities of governing a multi-campus university and coordinating multiple stakeholder groups with diverse roles that shape curriculum design and influence graduate employability.
1.2 In addition to aligning with University expectation and requirements, education programmes are also expected to contribute to achievement of the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Art
(MEHA)’s objectives for education in “nation building, empowerment and enhancement in quality of life” Associated educational agencies - the Fiji Education Commission (FHEC) and Fiji Teachers’
Registration Authority (FTRA) also have a stake in the curriculum and the expected attributes of graduates FHEC has a role in formally approving curricula and in recording qualifications on the Fiji
Qualifications Framework National principals’ and head teachers’ associations are additional stakeholders in determining desirable graduate attributes
The self-review documentation demonstrates a clear system of academic oversight for curriculum development and approval, and the Panel expects that the university’s ongoing work to develop a comprehensive quality assurance manual will positively influence the design and management of academic programmes, endorsing this work in progress.
The Panel cautions that policies and processes must be actively checked to ensure they operate as intended in practice, and it is not convinced that the inputs to curriculum development and renewal are being implemented effectively and consistently There is a clear need for regular meetings and ongoing, transparent communication among staff to ensure all aspects of programme quality receive continual attention The Panel recommends that the School implement these checks and strengthen oversight to improve how curricula are developed and renewed.
University pay attention to how policies and processes related to curriculum quality are operationalised and implemented
1.5 The Curriculum Advisory Services (CAS) section of MEHA develops the national curricula for early childhood, primary and secondary schools Teacher education programmes need to remain aligned with school curricula The Panel saw evidence that (CAS) has ‘signed off’ on teacher education programmes They also heard however that information about changes to the school curriculum were not passed onto the School as quickly or clearly as desired The Panel recommends that the
School and University consider how they might improve the ongoing shared ownership by staff, students and external stakeholders of ensuring the quality of teaching and learning This could
Guideline: Curriculum and programme development
The development, content and delivery of the programme should be internationally comparable, academically sustainable and acceptable to stakeholders, including both students and employers
Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University 5 include regular, but not necessarily frequent, meetings with external stakeholders to seek feedback on the curriculum and the graduate attributes that it serves
1.6 Although FNU is a self-accrediting institution and FHEC are obviously well aware of the Bachelor of
Education (Primary) and the Bachelor of Education (Secondary), the Panel was unable to find evidence of these qualifications being recorded (listed) on the Fiji National Qualifications
Framework 14 It suggests this is a matter that the University seeks to resolve so that publicly available information about the programmes is consistent and reflects their accreditation status
The Panel observed that the qualification structures for Fiji's teacher education programmes are similar to those used in international initial teacher education Although some systems offer three-year primary B.Ed degrees, the international norm for secondary teacher education—and increasingly for primary programmes—is an undergraduate degree followed by a postgraduate teaching qualification The Panel also recognised the high demand for suitably qualified teachers in Fiji and that the current arrangements are designed to meet local needs To fully align with international standards, the inclusion of more disciplinary content (which would require a fourth year) should be seriously considered.
MEHA sets the direction for prioritising subject specialisations in secondary education, guiding programme development and resource allocation Overall enrolment trends indicate the programmes are likely to be sustainable, reflecting their continued relevance in secondary schools However, enrolment levels vary widely across the major subjects within the BEd (Secondary), highlighting uneven demand among different specialisations.
Very few students have enrolled in Maths and Information Science and Physics and Computer
Science majors, although more have enrolled in Maths and Computer Science and Maths and
Physics The School and University may wish to discuss the number of major subjects offered and their configuration with MEHA
The Panel found no evidence that entry requirements were unclear to students, but it heard external stakeholders suggest that non-academic criteria might be considered in admissions and raised concerns about space and staffing limitations that could justify limiting enrolments; given the national priority placed on education, a cautious approach to enrolment limits is prudent, and experience at other universities shows that limited entry can send perverse signals, reduce the diversity of the student cohort, and complicate management.
Minimum entry requirements for university study, including English language proficiency and numeracy, are set by MEHA, while entry requirements for specific programmes are approved by the University Senate The Panel heard that recent changes requiring a higher numeracy level for the BEd (Primary) had an unanticipated impact on programme enrolments, with students not enrolling in the BEd (Primary) but enrolling in other programmes.
BEd (Secondary) This is likely to have future consequences
14 https://www.fhec.org.fj/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FQF-Accredited-Qualifications.pdf accessed 20200225
6 Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University
Regarding entry pathways into secondary education teaching, the Panel noted that greater flexibility is often found in international contexts, where it is easier to switch from primary to secondary programmes and to have more freedom in combining subjects.
The Panel noted that work had begun to align the University’s graduate attributes (institutional learning outcomes) with programme graduate attributes (programme learning outcomes), course learning outcomes, and assessment, and it regarded this alignment initiative as positive, recommending that it be developed further to deepen coherence and consistency across learning outcomes and assessment.
To progress this work, the Panel recommends that the School monitor the number of learning outcomes in each course Some education courses cover multiple big topics that require unpacking, time for reflection, and discussion When there are a relatively high number of learning outcomes and assessment topics, even though there are connections between learning outcomes, course content, and assessment, it can be difficult to translate these links into deeper learning and stronger student engagement.
Discipline-specific content in the BEd (Secondary) program, within its major subjects, is a crucial component of the overall curriculum The Panel recommends that future alignment work include disciplinary-specific content courses developed in partnership with the relevant academic staff The Panel did not find evidence that discipline-specific content was contextualised for education students, even though education students can comprise the majority of enrolments in some courses.
Greater collaboration and alignment between education programmes and discipline-specific content can enable a reduction in assessment As this alignment deepens, there may be opportunities to contextualise discipline-specific content for education in Fiji and to develop 'pedagogical content' courses that integrate subject knowledge with teaching strategies.
With respect to the relationship between education and discipline-specific content courses, the
Panel heard the discipline-specific content courses being referred to as ‘service’ courses or
In "service" teaching, there were no criticisms of discipline-specific courses or their contribution to education programs; however, the term fails to acknowledge the central role of disciplinary content in the BEd (Secondary) curriculum With opportunities for greater collaboration and alignment, the Panel recommends adopting terminology such as "discipline-specific" or "teaching-subject" courses to better reflect their importance and to support curriculum planning.
1.13 Future alignment work may also need to take new Fiji teaching standards into account The
Teaching quality, including work experience
Teacher education programmes are still primarily delivered through face-to-face classes, but flexible delivery options and e-learning are increasingly being used to broaden access The University has invested in digital infrastructure to support these access priorities.
The Panel did not gain a strong sense of a guiding teaching philosophy or common, shared pedagogical principles It heard that social constructivism is a widely used and appropriate approach for teacher education in Fiji.
University were seeking to ensure that teaching was consistent with ‘twenty-first century’ practices but did not gain much specificity beyond an increase in flexible and e-learning teaching methods
By embracing social constructivism as a learning approach, Fiji has an opportunity to drive innovation in the Fijian school system by modelling best practices within teacher education programmes Evidence indicates a range of teaching methods are in use, including group work, collaborative activities, field trips, and micro-teaching, with students particularly praising micro-teaching opportunities Some schools already promote innovation through practicum placements for students To expand this impact, close collaboration and clear communication between teacher education programmes and the practicum schools are essential.
2.3 Noting the importance that the School and University were placing on flexible and e-learning, the
Panel was keen to understand how good practice in the use of ICT in teaching was modelled by academic staff teaching future teachers Its understanding is that this is largely seen in the use of ICT-enabled teaching approaches, including integrated digital resources, interactive learning platforms, and ongoing professional development for academics.
Moodle and presentation of teaching materials
During the proceedings, the Panel noted that the dedicated course on integrating information and communications technology (ICT) in schools was removed as part of the move to semesterisation, and that the reinstatement of this course is now under review.
Technology is increasingly central to education worldwide, yet in Fiji access to ICT remains uneven across schools The Panel considered that the school’s approach to ICT in the curriculum and in its teaching is appropriate at this point However, staff may need support to develop further as digital technologies evolve to enable greater collaboration among students and teachers across Fiji.
2.4 The professional practicum is an important aspect of teacher education programmes internationally and this is also reflected in the FNU teacher education programmes The Panel
Guideline: Teaching, including work experience opportunities
Teaching methods should be appropriate to the curriculum level of study and intended learning outcomes Internships or workplace experience should be appropriate
An external review of Fiji National University's teacher education programmes found that the School carefully managed professional practicum requirements and prioritized placements where students could access support; practically, students were encouraged to undertake a practicum near their home, especially for the first practicum.
Providing effective practicum support requires substantial resources Although practicum placements are well organized, the ongoing support provided by lecturing staff increases their workload and reduces time for research and professional development, potentially impacting overall program quality.
The Panel heard that practicum requirements were recently changed as a consequence of the move to semesterisation The new practicum requirements appear to have less flexibility in scheduling, and a clash with high school examinations is emerging for the second practicum in the BEd program.
(Secondary students) The Panel recommends that the School take urgent steps to resolve this matter
The panel noted that the practicum assessment template in the review documentation related to earlier practicum structures In revisiting practicum requirements, the Panel recommends that the
School should ensure that the practicum expectations and assessment template have been updated to reflect the new practicum arrangements
The practicum is an intensive learning period where time management and ongoing reflection shape professional practice The development of professional self-regulation is therefore a key component in assessing performance The Panel recommends the School align its practicum assessment with international practices, focusing on progression of learning and the depth of reflection on professional practice, making this area ripe for benchmarking.
Teaching quality is monitored through end-of-semester course and teaching evaluations The evaluations provided to Panel 17 did not include contextual information like the response rate (noted as low), the total number of responses, or the typical range of responses from other courses This information, if available, may appear in other reports, since ranges can be drawn from overall summaries Additionally, both students and staff did not seem to be aware of what feedback on teaching or the course had been collected or communicated by the class.
The Panel recommends reviewing institutional processes for collecting and disseminating course evaluation analyses While such processes exist, there are inconsistent practices and analyses are not consistently accessible to teaching staff Timely access to course evaluation data by the staff responsible for courses is essential to inform course renewal and to enhance programme quality.
10 Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University
To close the loop on student feedback and demonstrate that it is taken seriously by the University, students should receive responses or summaries addressing their input The Panel recommends making summaries of course evaluations from previous cohorts available to current students and, where feasible, to the cohort that provided the feedback, so transparency is enhanced and learners can see how their feedback informs improvements.
2.6 The Panel noted that other methods for monitoring teaching quality, including peer review of teaching, had been explored but were not yet embedded in routine practice Given the importance of ongoing reflection in professional teaching practice, the Panel encourages the systematic adoption of these monitoring approaches so they become integral to teaching quality assurance.
School to develop shared expectations around the use of peer review, and model this for students as future teachers
The (draft) Academic Quality Assurance Manual (AQAM) 19 makes reference to ‘good teaching’ and its importance but does not appear to provide guidelines as to what constitutes good teaching at
The Panel noted that guidance on what constitutes good teaching was limited, even as some efforts were underway to develop clearer guidance or standards As the University implements the policies and processes set out in the AQAM framework, the Panel urges the School to define what constitutes good teaching in practice within higher education, with particular emphasis on teacher education.
Assessment and student achievement
3.1 Section 1.11 commented on the need to align assessment with course learning outcomes During the site visit the Panel was able to view marked examples of assessments
The Panel noted a high number of assessment levels and occasional challenges with scheduling deadlines It recommends that the School review the overall assessment load for both students and staff across courses within programmes, examining the quantity and types of assessments to ensure they align with course learning outcomes.
The Panel notes that course learning outcomes do not necessarily require separate assessment tasks One assessment task can be designed to address more than one learning outcomes
Integration of some topics could lead to more complex, tiered assessment tasks
3.2 The University and School have in place oversight and moderation processes for assessment The
Panel reviewed the University’s assessment policy and commends the University for the development of a good practice set of assessment guidelines
The Panel confirmed robust moderation and consistent assessment practices within the School, but noted that rubrics outlining what is required and what constitutes an extension varied across courses A cross‑course review of rubrics within the programme would help staff and students and promote greater consistency in expectations, especially for discipline specialisms within the secondary programme.
The School maintains comprehensive processes for assessing the professional practicum, with in-school teacher supervisors serving as assessors This is a high-stakes assessment, as students cannot progress to the second practicum if they do not pass the first A prior report has noted the need to include assessment in any revisiting of practicum requirements (Section 2.4).
The Panel spoke with students who indicated they received useful feedback on their work and clear guidance on assessment expectations, including the provision of assignment rubrics.
3.6 Academic integrity was discussed in Section 2.7
Guideline: Assessment and student achievement
Assessment tasks must align with the intended learning outcomes and be designed to be fair, reliable, valid, and sufficient for the level of study; they should clearly demonstrate achievement at that level To ensure consistency and quality across programs, assessment tasks and the corresponding achievement should be moderated or benchmarked against similar programs at the same level, guaranteeing comparability and equivalence.
12 Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University
Student learning support and feedback
The panel examined the range of learning support available to students in teacher education programs, as detailed in the Self-review These supports include course advice, transition and orientation programmes, counselling, and dedicated assistance for residential students, as well as access to sports and clubs and societies It was encouraging to see many clubs aligned with social and local issues Peer-assisted learning has also been introduced in several subject areas, broadening collaborative learning opportunities for students.
At orientation, students are informed about the availability of support services, and additional information is available on the University website The University has developed a first-year experience app and other dedicated resources to assist first-year students.
Staff identify students at risk of poor academic performance and encourage them to seek timely support, as the University develops a comprehensive progress-monitoring system The Panel endorses the Early Alert Response System (EARS) for its potential value to both students and staff, and notes that direct engagement with academic staff is a key positive aspect of the system.
The University has established English language support hubs and maths support hubs to assist students with language and numeracy development Students may participate in scheduled sessions, join virtual sessions, or access self-study materials, giving flexibility in how they receive help Some staff have expressed concerns that cultural norms may discourage students from using these hubs.
However, the students the Panel spoke to did not share this concern, suggesting that the issue may not reflect the broader student experience The Panel also noted that it may take some time for the hubs to become embedded in normal practice for both students and staff, indicating that adoption will unfold gradually across the community.
The Panel commends the University for its provision of support through hubs for English and maths
During the professional practicum, the Panel examined the support available for students and was advised that they have access to the full range of materials a teacher would typically use They can also access university library resources, though this may depend on internet availability at their practicum site, and local libraries are available in some districts.
22 Supplementary materials provided at site visit
23 SR p34, https://www.fnu.ac.fj/new/first-year-experience/succeed-fnu accessed 20200228
24 https://www.fnu.ac.fj/new/ears Accessed 20200227
25 https://www.fnu.ac.fj/new/learner-enhancement/elh accessed 20200228
26 https://www.fnu.ac.fj/new/learner-enhancement/mhh accessed 20200218
Guideline: Student learning support and feedback
Students should receive comprehensive support to facilitate their learning, including pastoral care where appropriate, and should have clear avenues to provide feedback on their experiences and raise any concerns with staff.
Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University 13
The Panel examined the School’s commitment to inclusivity, particularly for students with disabilities, and found that this remains a developing area It noted positive steps, including a specific ‘Understanding inclusive education’ course in the BEd (Primary) In terms of access to education programmes for students with disabilities, the assessment indicates ongoing work to improve provision.
A University Disability Coordinator develops an access plan for a student, which is approved by the relevant Faculty, and the Coordinator maintains ongoing contact with the student to support implementation The Panel found there were no professional minimum standards related to addressing inclusive education.
4.7 Many of the staff the Panel met with were clearly committed to supporting student learning and a number were engaged in supporting extra-curricula activities including sports, faith-based support, support for ethnic groups, and activities that sought to provide students with insights into the lives and needs of people with disabilities as well as support for some of these people The Panel commends staff commitment to supporting both student learning and extra-curricula activities
4.8 The processes for students to raise concerns, complaints or grievances are set out in the University
Academic and Student Regulations: in practice, the Panel found that students were able to raise issues and concerns directly with staff or with management.
During the Panel meeting, it became clear that students were not aware of the formal processes for addressing issues The Panel does not intend to discourage students from raising concerns directly with staff, but it recommends the University review the effectiveness of its efforts to raise awareness of complaints and grievance policies and practices This review should specifically ensure that BEd (Secondary) students know how to raise concerns and receive support to do so, and that they are able to provide positive feedback in both their education and disciplinary content courses.
4.9 The Self-review materials made reference to student positions on academic committees 28
The Panel could not see how the process works in practice, including what training and support students receive or how the University hears and heeds student voices in academic decision-making It recommends that the University review the effectiveness of the student voice—examining student membership of committees, the support provided to students to contribute to committees, and other mechanisms such as student representatives in courses—to strengthen student engagement in governance.
4.10 The Panel noted that the University has a process in place for recognising high achieving students through the award of a ‘Gold medal’
27 https://programmes.fnu.ac.fj/Details.aspx?id81 accessed 20200228
14 Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University
Infrastructure and resourcing to support the programme
5.1 Student numbers in education programmes have increased substantially (by almost 40%) since
In 2016, 29 students were recorded, with the majority based on the Lautoka campus A self-review identified resourcing and space constraints on the Lautoka campus as an issue, and actions are currently underway to address it.
The university has invested in physical and digital infrastructure and maintains an ongoing capital investment program, establishing a strong foundation for the future delivery of the programmes under review; the Panel notes that this investment will undoubtedly support the ongoing and future delivery of those programmes.
The self-review outlines planned space developments, including science laboratories, arts and music workshops, and dedicated study space for students, but the Panel did not gain a clear sense of priorities or timelines for these projects It also heard of other space and infrastructure needs raised by the groups it met, such as fencing for the Lautoka campus and space for staff to meet outside scheduled meetings The fencing is identified as a student safety and well-being issue, and supporting documents indicate it is a concern for residential students.
The Panel acknowledges that university infrastructure and resources are persistent challenges that require ongoing review and planning It advises developing priority actions through collaborative consultation with staff and communicating these priorities across the university By involving staff in prioritization, the institution highlights that resourcing includes personnel, workspaces, and specialist facilities, and that not all needs can be addressed simultaneously.
5.4 Staffing is discussed elsewhere in this review (Section 6) The Panel took the view that resourcing also included intellectual leadership resources in the form of senior academic appointments
Education programmes currently rely on a single full professor, who also has duties beyond the education programmes By contrast, equivalent international programmes typically feature a staffing profile with more appointments at Professor and Associate levels.
Professor levels This is important given the number of students and the leadership required for research-led teaching
5.5 The School recognises the need to appoint further professorial staff, and the Panel agrees that addressing the lack of senior appointments is of critical importance Such appointments can expand intellectual leadership in research-led teaching and the delivery of postgraduate programmes in education The reduced availability of senior academic leadership presents a risk to future programme development The Panel recommends that the University take action to increase senior appointments.
Guideline: Infrastructure to support the programme
Institutions should have adequate infrastructure and resourcing to support teaching in the programme and student learning and ensure that infrastructure is sustainable and safe.
This report presents the findings of an external review of Fiji National University’s teacher education programmes It underscores the urgent need to address the number and capability of senior academic leaders in the School as it expands its research and development commitments Strengthening leadership capacity is essential for sustaining program quality, expanding research output, and meeting the university’s strategic goals for teacher education The recommendations include recruiting and retaining experienced senior leaders, aligning leadership with the School’s growing research agenda, and implementing governance and succession plans to support sustained development.
16 Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University
Staff support and professional practice
The self-review outlines the education staff profile, showing that the majority are appointed at the lecturer level and that most lecturers hold a Master’s qualification As noted in the previous section, the numbers of professorial staff are very low.
6.2 The School is undertaking a major programme of supporting staff to gain higher level qualifications At the time of the review, 22 staff were undertaking a PhD and a further seven a
Masters degree The University provides support for staff to undertake further study, including scholarships for some staff to undertake doctoral studies overseas The Panel commends the
School for its support for staff to complete postgraduate qualifications
Both the Self-review and the Panel’s comments point to staff adopting modern teaching approaches, with a particular emphasis on ICT integration While opportunities and support for staff development to enhance their practice and increase ICT use do exist, progress is slow and the onus remains largely on individual staff to take up these opportunities The Panel could not confirm a deliberate, planned approach to this change that also accounts for other staff responsibilities and obligations.
The Panel notes staff engagement in pursuing additional qualifications and adopting modern teaching methods, and it recommends that the School create structured opportunities for staff to learn in groups on topics that enhance programme quality and the student experience, with a particular emphasis on contemporary learning approaches and the use of ICT Adequate resources should be allocated to support this professional development, which would yield benefits such as stronger collegiality, greater consistency of practice across programmes, and broader cross-programme awareness.
According to the Self-review, the majority of staff are members of a teachers’ union The Panel also found that staff participate in professional and community organizations.
Decisions appeared to be at the discretion of the individual staff member, and the Panel noted that there was no available support for participation in professional organisations It also encourages staff to pursue professional development through independent avenues and to seek external opportunities on their own.
School to take a holistic view of the support needed for ongoing professional development of teacher educators
The Panel heard that teaching loads are high relative to other jurisdictions, with a minimum of sixteen contact hours per week across all forms of contact—including lectures, tutorials, field trips, supervision, and office hours—leaving limited time for preparation, marking, moderation, research, and professional development It recognizes that workload levels reflect resource constraints and notes that it has not reviewed detailed workload data.
Guideline: Staff support and professional practice
Staff should be provided with adequate support to facilitate and enhance their teaching
An external review of Fiji National University's teacher education programmes notes wide variation in the number of courses taught by staff It suggests that a mechanism for understanding and making transparent staff workloads could be useful.
6.7 Processes and requirements for staff promotion are set out in the University’s Promotions and
Policy 36 ties promotions and appraisals together within a single framework While HR policies are extensive, they lack explicit criteria or guidance on what is required to be promoted to a higher teaching grade or level, or on what constitutes meritorious or excellent performance in appraisal, especially for teaching staff.
6.8 The Panel understands that the promotions and performance appraisal process has changed recently From 2020 all staff are required to have a performance management plan which will be reviewed annually 37
The Teaching Excellence Award is managed by the PVC Learning and Teaching Office The Panel did not gain insight into how School of Education staff have participated in this or other schemes for recognising teaching performance The Panel encourages the School of Education to not only recognise and celebrate excellent teaching but also to disseminate good practice in whatever ways are practicable.
The Panel's conversations with new staff revealed that orientation and induction processes varied across the School It recommends establishing a common, standardized approach to inducting all new staff, with any deviations designed deliberately For example, staff appointed from outside Fiji may require different or additional orientation and induction materials.
18 Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University
Employability of graduates and stakeholder satisfaction
7.1 The Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts is the major employer of graduates from the B Ed
(Secondary) and B Ed (Primary) Graduates apply to the MEHA and are assigned to a school
Graduates from the HCTTVETT are either currently employed or will seek employment in TVET
MEHA’s role in curriculum setting was referred to in Section 1 This section covers their role as an employer of graduates
Graduates must meet the Fiji Teachers Registration Authority Rule 38 before they can teach in a school, including obtaining police clearance and a medical certificate Students are issued an induction certificate Initial registration is provisional for one year, after which it can be upgraded to full registration if specific criteria are met Teachers are required to re-register every three years.
7.2 The Panel understood that new graduates did not have any difficulty in gaining employment
According to graduate destination reports 39 , the employment rate for graduates from the College of Humanities and Education is around 80% However, these figures are not broken down to
School or qualification level The Panel assumes it would be possible for the Institutional Research and Planning Office to provide this data
The University collects feedback from graduates about their programme experience at the time they collect their graduation gowns, but the reports on the programme experience survey do not disaggregate data by School or qualification; feedback highlights suggested improvements that could inform curriculum renewal, and the Panel recommends extending the graduate feedback survey to capture perspectives on the attainment of graduate attributes and competencies, while the methodology for administering the surveys should be reviewed and the current method’s limitations acknowledged.
7.4 Overall, student satisfaction with the quality of their course for College of Humanities and
Education students appears to be line with University responses For the University, 86% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed with a statement regarding their satisfaction with the quality of their course
External stakeholders consulted by the Panel raised concerns about graduate qualities and competencies, specifically that graduates were not adequately prepared for teaching in remote locations or in multi‑grade classrooms.
38 http://www.ftrb.gov.fj/ accessed 20200323
Guideline: Employability of graduates and stakeholder satisfaction
The institution should have processes to gain feedback from key stakeholders about graduate satisfaction of the programme and the employability of graduates
Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University 19 demonstrate the sorts of confidence and behaviours that they considered should be present in a graduate teacher
Although the Panel did not dismiss the concerns, the comments heard were largely anecdotal There were gaps and inefficiencies in how MEHA changes were communicated to teaching staff, MEHA staff, and other stakeholders, who appeared not to appreciate perspectives beyond their own or acknowledge feedback on how changes had been implemented For example, MEHA staff claimed that students had not gained experience teaching in rural or remote schools, even though the School of Education has valid reasons for not placing students in remote locations for teaching practice.
The Panel proposes expanding the previously recommended graduate destination survey by adding an employer survey, creating an evidence base of professionally valued outcomes that can inform discussions with external stakeholders and support ongoing enhancement of the programmes.
The Panel concluded that new teachers receive little systematic professional development and support in their initial years, and they are more likely to be placed in remote schools It acknowledges that new teacher graduates can play a role in transforming Fiji's school teaching culture, but also notes that this is a challenging endeavour for them Accordingly, teacher education at Fiji National University (FNU) is viewed as just one component of ongoing professional development for teachers.
To strengthen the entire educational system, the Panel recommends a school-led dialogue that includes MEHA, FHEC, the FTRA, and the Heads and Principals associations This cross-stakeholder discussion ensures a shared understanding of the issues and enables the collaborative development of practical, system-wide solutions.
Responding to the needs of multiple external bodies presents inherent complexities, further amplified by internal university processes that govern the flow of information between external stakeholders and teaching staff While all parties have expressed positive intentions, the Panel recommends that the University strengthen its relationship with the Ministry of Education to improve alignment, collaboration, and information exchange.
Heritage and Arts, along with other key external stakeholders, are central to building a stronger relationship aimed at reaching a shared view of the desirable professional attributes and competencies of graduates This alignment between industry expectations and educational programmes would create a coherent framework that serves both the sector and the curricula by ensuring graduates possess the skills and attributes that industry values.
The Panel heard mixed views on the international acceptability of graduates, with some stakeholders raising concerns about the loss of graduates overseas, particularly to New Zealand and Australia, while others questioned whether teacher education programmes are recognized internationally.
Evidence indicates that some FNU-trained teachers are seeking teaching roles overseas, with most opportunities likely in primary education Because the three-year secondary programme may lack depth in disciplinary content, its qualification could be less portable than the primary route The Panel also recognizes that each national jurisdiction sets its own requirements and processes for recognition, especially regarding in-country professional experience.
20 Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University
Over the past ten years since FNU’s establishment, the Panel has acknowledged considerable progress The transition from a college of education to a university school mirrors shifts seen in many jurisdictions and, like those, requires time and sustained effort While some legacy issues remain, these first ten years have laid the groundwork for procedures and protocols that articulate the School of Education’s identity and philosophy as part of FNU and as a vital professional contributor to the quality of education in Fiji.
FNU's School of Education is delivering teacher education programs that respond to Fiji's national education priorities, ensuring graduates are prepared to meet local needs The Panel commended the University and the School of Education for several practices and offered recommendations in areas that are expected to help the institution strengthen its programs and outcomes.
School and University in delivering teacher education programmes of an international standard
The Panel wishes to acknowledge the commitment of the School of Education and Fiji National
University to quality assurance and their willingness to engage in external quality review
The Panel records its appreciation to the staff, students and external stakeholders who met with them
The Panel and AQA have also appreciated the support from Ms Preetika Mani throughout preparation for and during the site visit
Report of an external review of teacher education programmes at Fiji National University 21
The Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities
The Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities (AQA) was established in 1994 by New Zealand universities and now operates as an independent body dedicated to advancing university education in New Zealand.
• engaging as a leader and advocate in the development of academic quality,
• applying quality assurance and quality enhancement processes that assist universities in improving student engagement, academic experience and learning outcomes, and
• supporting confidence in the academic quality of New Zealand universities
The AQA helps universities achieve excellence in research and teaching by conducting institutional audits of the processes that underpin academic quality and by identifying and disseminating information on best practices for developing and maintaining quality in higher education, with activities that include a quarterly newsletter and regular meetings on quality enhancement topics.
The AQA interacts with other educational bodies within New Zealand and with similar academic quality assurance agencies internationally The Agency is a full member of the Asia-Pacific Quality Network
(APQN), and of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education
(INQAAHE) AQA has been assessed as adhering to the INQAAHE Guidelines of Good Practice in Quality
The key principles underpinning academic audits and reviews carried out by AQA are: