COUNTRY REPORT

REPUBLIC OF FIJI ISLANDS

SUVA SPECIAL SCHOOL

INCEPTION REPORTA. GENERAL INFORMATION:

1.Name of Country:Republic of Fiji Islands

2. Total Land AreaFiji consists of about 332 islands scattered over a land area of 18,338 square kilometres (approximately 1/3 of which are inhabited).

Two main Islands namely Viti Levu is 10,429 square kilometres and Vanua Levu is 5,556 square kilometres.

Suva is the Capital of Fiji and is on the Island of Viti Levu.

3. Population:According to a UN Report in 2005, Fiji’s population is approximately 854,000.

Fiji is a multi-racial country consisting of Fijians, Indo-Fijians and others namely Chinese and Rotumans.* Indigenous Fijians 53%* Indo-Fijian 40%* Others 7%Fiji is a multi-religious country and almost 58% of the population are Christians, 34% are Hindus, 7% are Muslims and 1% Others.

4. Life Expectancy:Life expectancy for men is 66 years and 70 years for women.

5. Infant Mortality Rate:Rate is around 20.99% - 21% per 1000 population.

6. Maternal Mortality Rate:28.05 per 100,000 population.

7. Education System for Persons with Disability:Number of Special Schools : 17(1) Hilton Special School(2) Early Intervention Centre(3) Fiji Vocational Training Centre(4) Fiji School for the Blind(5) Suva Special School(6) Gospel School for the Deaf(7) Nausori Special School(8) Rakiraki Special School(9) Ba Special School(10)Lautoka Special School(11) Sunshine Special School(12) Nadi Special School(13) Sigatoka Special School(14) Vailomani Special School(15) Savusavu Special School(16) Labasa Special School(17) Levuka Special School

Fiji has 720 Primary Schools & 165 Secondary Schools.

8. Levels of Education:

* Primary School : Classes 1 – 8* Secondary School : Forms 3 – 6

(Integration)* Tertiary Institutions (Integration)* Vocational Training (mainstream

Vocational Centres & Special Schools)

B. MY ORGANIZATION:Suva Special School

1. HISTORY:

* Humble beginning in the early seventies.

* One classroom and a few students.

* In 1981, the school moved to present location.

* Today, it is one of the schools with modern facilities.- Administration block- Spacious classrooms- Vocational Training Workshop

School Management:Suva Society for Intellectually Handicapped.

• A Voluntary Welfare Organization• Forefront of developing facilities for

Intellectually Handicap children• SSIH is governed by a local committee of

parents and volunteers• Members are elected at the Annual

General Meeting

School: Suva Special School• Formally known as Suva School for

Intellectually Handicapped.• Caters for children who have intellectual

and learning disabilities.• School offers Academic : Class 1-6

Primary curriculum and vocational skills training.

• Provides Transport to all children attending the school.

Education Principles:

• Children with disabilities in Fiji have the same fundamental rights, freedom and responsibilities as their non-disabled peers.

• All children have rights to the most appropriate programs available to meet their individual needs.

• Students with special needs require specialized support service to provide them with opportunities to achieve their potential and to become contributing members of society in a dignified and meaningful way.

Our Vision:Develop the special child holistically to live

independently in the community.

Our Mission:To offer the students of S.S.S. all the assistance to enable them to live, work

and play in their own local communities in a situation where they are accepted and

valued.

Education Goals:• To develop and provide quality educational

programs and sound policy advise so as to meet the policy objectives on the education, social integration, employment, training rehabilitation of persons with Intellectual impairment.

• To develop and support a professional teaching force, which is responsible for and responsive to both learning and the learner.

• To strengthen and promote community partnerships in the management of school and the provision of educational resources, policies and programs.

2. SCHOOL PROGRAM:

The School tries to offer as many learning opportunities to the various levels of children attending the school.* Academic – Classes 1-6 adapted Primary

Curriculum* Daily Living & Independent Skills* Pre-vocational & Vocational Skills* Extra Curricular Activities – Scouts, Girl Guides,

Red Cross, Excursions* Speech & Language Therapy* Parent Education & Support Services

3. TARGET GROUP, NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES:

* Target group in the major programs are the pre-vocational students age ranging from 14 – 18 years.

* Pre-vocational department has over 60 students going through this program.

* Students over 18 years either go to a Vocational Training Centre or we find them jobs in the employment market.

4. MY POSITION & DUTY:

Position : Acting Head Teacher

Duties :* Perform all administration duties, manage the school

* Provide professional leadership to staff

* Co-ordinate the formulation and review of the school’s professional development plans

* Assist the Society Management with operations and fundraising activities, monitor and ensure that the school program such as positive teaching and learning takes place

* Network with Government and non-Government organization on educational issues

* Monitor and evaluate the school programs & assessments

* Provide professional guidance to parents

C. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR PWID AT SUVA SPECIAL SCHOOL

I. Outline of the Program:Pre-Vocational & Vocational Skills Training

Goal:To provide quality vocational skills training program at school to facilitate accessibility of persons with ID to learn more skills at other training centres and have access to decent employment opportunities.

II. Expected Outcome:

* Students to receive further vocational training to meet employment market needs & to contribute meaningfully in the family & community.

* FNCDP to negotiate & consult with employee union, local government and statutory organizations on terms & conditions of friendly access in the work environment.

III. Inputs of the ImplementingOrganization:

Suva Special School provides funds to buy materials for training;* Woodwork – timber & tools* Gardening – seeds & garden tools* Sewing – materials & machines* Cooking – ingredients & utensils* Teachers & Volunteers

IV. Inputs of the Community:

* Parents(a) contribute cooking & sewing materials for lessons.(b) buy finished products made by students and vegetable

produce from the school garden.* Community – open days organized at the school is attended

by members in the community.

* Fundraising - school organizes fundraising activities with parents.

V. Inputs of the External Agents:

* Government provides fee free Grants* Business Houses – donation of Cash & Kind* Donor Agencies for funds and resources

VI. Budget & Period:

* Funds are received by the school management

* Funds are released upon Head Teacher’s request

Activities & Consequences

a) The Results/Consequence:Students acquire basic skills in woodwork, cooking, sewing, horticulture and screen printing, which could be further developed at other Vocational Centres.

More could be done if provided with a lot more resources.

b) Strengths & Weaknesses:

Strengths –- parents are very supportive- management are keen to further

develop this program in future- students enjoy & show interest in

learning skills- students learn many independent skills

Weaknesses –

- Lack of qualified staff in specialized fields

- Resources and tools are limited

- Difficult to find job placements

- Community acceptance

Process of Monitoring & Evaluation:

- Teachers assess student’s achievements- The Executive Teachers (H.O.D), Deputy

Head Teacher & Head Teacher monitor the teachers’ plans & activities.

- Head Teacher reports to the Management and the Education Ministry on the school’s overall achievements.

Employment :

Access to employment for PWID is very low. Enaction of Employment Relations Bill where 2% of employment quota by the employer for PWD will address this situation.

Need for more funding for school with intellectual disability for appropriate staffing i.e. Speech Therapist, Audiologist, Occupational Therapist & purchase of more teaching and learning resources.

Non-Teaching Staff required – Teacher Aides to address the problem of student/teacher ratio.

D. INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN FIJI

1. Population of persons with disabilities:Fiji does not have a correct data for the disabled population.

FNCDP has lobbied with Government to include disability questions in the 2007 national census.

The official statistics has not been released yet.

Law for PWIDAt the moment, Fiji do not have specific laws

governing people with intellectual disabilities. Other major laws & regulations concerned with persons with disabilities are:-

1. The inclusion of the Bill of Rights under the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Island (Chapter 4, section 38)

2. Affirmative Action for the disabled under the Social Justice Act 2001

3. PSC Policy on Equal Employment Opportunity 2000

4. Public Health (National Building Code) pg 18 (access for persons with disabilities)

5. FNCDP Act of 19946. Cabinet approved the ratification of ILO

Convention 159:Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Disabled Persons)

7. Employment Relations Bill 2004 – an employer who employs 50 or more workers may employ physically disabled workers on a ratio of at least 2% of the total number of workers employed by the employer

8. Section 17 of the Human Rights Commission Act 1999, disability is a prohibited ground for discrimination particularly in the fields of employment, applying for work, providing approval for licenses or trade, calling or profession, the provision of housing, land or other accommodation and access to & participation in education.

9. Blueprint for affirmative action on special education.

10.Town Planning Act Chapter 139 General Provision November 1999. 46(14) Facilities for the Disabled Persons.

11.Cabinet Decision 462 (FNCDP) Building Code for Access for PWD (ii) agreed in principle that all the major buildings either constructed or rented by Government in future are to be disabled friendly & have accessibility provisions.

12.Draft National Policy on Disability 2006 –2016.

Government or private assistance for Persons with Disabilities

Persons with disabilities who are poor receives family welfare assistance from the Ministry of Social Welfare & Housing, this assistance is FJ$60.00 or above per month.

Non-government organization and the Statuary bodies receive government grants each year for administration & activities.

International Government, Local Government & Private organization also assists in the areas of disability development in Fiji.

- Surveys- Training- Workshops- Buildings- Volunteers- Resource Personnel- Education- Housing- Transport free bus pass- Inventories i.e. computers, office equipments &

vehicles etc.

Services for PWID such as welfare, education etc.

The Suva Special School provides the following services for PWID:

- Education – Primary & Pre-vocational skills training- Transport services to & from home to attend school- Integration program for academic students to primary &

vocational centres- Job training & placement outside job market- Raise funds to provide education through fundraising

drive & request of donations from donor agencies- Write support letters for parents to be given to Fiji

National Provident Fund, Social Welfare Department & foreign Embassies.

Other services provided are:

- Ministry of Education – give Fee Free Grant- National Council for Disabled Persons – lease

with government funds, training etc.- Fiji Sports Association for the Disabled – looks

after the Sports & Recreation for people with disabilities in Fiji

The National Council for Disabled Persons has in pipeline, the formation of a National Body for PWID that will look after the welfare of students and adults with intellectual disability.

E. SITUATION OF PWID IN YOUR COUNTRY/AREA

- Development of services began in the mid sixties.

- Momentum began to build in the seventies with more schools being established

- Diversify programs, need to train more specialized teachers as a result

- Vocational Programs included in the schools- All programs organized through the Ministry of

Education- Most of the Special Schools in Fiji have

children with intellectual disability.

Findings & Diagnosis of ID, Early Intervention:

- Most referrals are through Doctors, Health workers & social workers

- Most diagnosis are done by doctors & then referred to special schools.

- Some urban centres have Early Intervention Centres.

- More & more children are being identified as ID with learning disabilities.

- We do not have an assessment centre.

Support Organizations:

- Special schools provide education & training of ID children.

- Ministry of Social Welfare & Health assist to some extent.

- Advocacy group like the Fiji Disabled People’s Association (FDPA)

- Government Statutory body – Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons (FNCDP)

CONCLUSION:

- Fiji do not have an umbrella body/organization to look after the needs of people with Intellectual Disabilities.

- Need for a data base & establish a network among the service providers.

- Policy guidelines for diagnosis, education, welfare, vocational training & employment etc.

- Laws for PWID to be made and practiced.