Fiji’s National Curriculum Framework, similarly, presents nine key characteristics
that enable school graduates to ‘participate in a changing world’ (Ministry of
Education, Culture and Arts, 2013, p. 6)
These are as follows:
- Communicate effectively;
- Handle change;
- Make wise decisions;
- Be innovative and enterprising;
- Learn how to learn;
- Solve problems;
- Investigate and research;
- Realize that learning is lifelong;
- Participate in team work and cooperative learning.
The study findings indicate that the concept and co-relational value of
non-cognitive skills are poorly understood by all of the participants. This is
evidenced by the treatment of NCS as ‘content’ specific. While support for NCS
is high among all groups (EO: 100 per cent, TE: 71 per cent; PT: 65 per cent;
ST: 86 per cent), those outside the ministry perceived a lack of emphasis of
NCS in current educational policy. While ministry officials said that NCS were
prioritized highly (100 per cent), less than a third of the teacher educators
agreed with this view (28 per cent), and two in five teachers viewed the policy
treatment of NCS as lacking (PT: 40 per cent, ST: 40 per cent). When asked
about teaching and learning of NCS in Fiji schools, many participants shared
the view that current NCS treatment is inadequate.
Teachers felt that NCS form an important component of education in Fiji.
While opinion on the degree of importance varied, the majority were of
the mind that these skills were either important (PT: 30 per cent; ST: 14
per cent), very important (PT: 35 per cent, ST: 32 per cent) or essential (ST: 32
per cent). Significantly, a large number of teachers said that they had already
tried to incorporate NCS into their pedagogical practice (PT: 70 per cent, ST:
60 per cent). Despite this, confidence levels in the delivery of NCS learning
opportunities were quite low (PT: 35 per cent, ST: 36 per cent).
Many participants cited the integrated ‘across-the-curriculum’ approach
as the predominant method used to teach NCS (EO: 67 per cent, TE: 43
per cent, PT: 60 per cent, ST: 62 per cent). Other methods of delivery include
coverage in specific subject areas such as values or religious education,