Cabinet has given the green light to the Education (Establishment and Registration of Schools) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, marking a reversal of the 2022 decision regarding age requirements for Year 1 enrolment.
This means that children who turn six in June next year will now have the option to enroll in Year One, rather than the previous criteria of those turning six by December 31st, 2024.
Cabinet states this move represents a shift back to a long-standing tradition in Fiji schools, where, prior to 2022, only children who had reached the age of six by 30 June in the year of admission were eligible for Year 1 enrollment.
The statement adds that the decision to revert to this age requirement was motivated by considerations of the strain that increased enrollment had placed on infrastructure, human resources, and various government education assistance schemes.