Conclusions
Despite various reforms of education in Fiji over the last 40 years, the findings
of this study indicate that teachers’ pedagogical practices do not seem to
have evolved since the pre-independence Education Commission conducted
in 1969. The findings also confirm the findings of a similar undertaking
by the School of Education of the University of the South Pacific in 2006
(Tuinamuana, et al., 2006), and suggest that the major, systematic curriculum
changes brought about through the Fiji Education Sector Reform Project,
which ended in 2008, do not appear to have resulted in major changes at
the classroom level.
The research results indicate that teachers’ philosophies of teaching are
holistic in nature, with ideals of constructivism balancing guided student
learning and opportunities for self-directed learning. Teachers believe in the
need for rigorous and purposeful pedagogies such as reflective teaching
practice based on the continuous assessment and evaluation of teaching
methods and action research in the classroom.
There was a consensus among all sample groups that improved pedagogical
practices will lead to good learning outcomes, with positive implications for
social cohesiveness, economic development, citizenship and sustainability in
Fiji. Classroom observations found that many teachers try to provide positive
and creative learning opportunities for students, although some seem
unprepared and are distracted by non-teaching responsibilities.
Despite the awareness among teachers of the need to improve their
pedagogical practices, the fact remains, however, that the Fiji school system
is content-full and assessment-driven. The teachers’ heavy teaching loads
and extra-curricular responsibilities, coupled with the pressure to complete
the syllabus and administer frequent internal assessment tasks, leave little
time for reflective practice in pedagogical planning, delivery and evaluation.
Additionally, parents and the community prioritize academic learning and
assessment scores, making it even more difficult for teachers to make changes
to their pedagogical practices.
While teachers currently use a mixed-methods approach, using both teacher-
centred and student-centred methods, the data collected in this study do
not provide adequate insight into whether current pedagogical approaches
within school-based initiatives may cumulatively contribute to innovative
practice. Further investigation is necessary to interrogate the learning