Financing for equity in primary and secondary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to schools
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
In Fiji, the Ministry of Education (MOE), formerly the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts (MEHA), is responsible for designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the country’s educational legislation, policies, and programmes. The Ministry provides schools with the necessary structures, human resources, budgets, and administrative support to ensure effective education delivery.
The Parliament of Fiji approves and allocates the Ministry’s annual budget, taking into account the previous year’s expenditure, student enrolment, and the number of teachers. Financing and administration of basic education remain largely centralised, with the MOE overseeing, regulating, and funding schools nationwide. To strengthen education planning, the Ministry conducts annual Budget Focus Groups that inform policy and budget preparation.
Public financial management is governed by the Financial Management Act 2004, which ensures the State complies with legal requirements for managing, assuring, and reporting on public finances. The MOE employs the Fiji Education Management Information System (FEMIS) to monitor financial disbursements.
Schools in Fiji are funded primarily through government grants.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The Fiji Education funding system is centralised, with resources allocated directly from the national government to schools through grants.
2. Education resources to schools
Fiji’s primary funding mechanism for primary and secondary schools is the Free Education Grant (FEG), which subsidises tuition fees for Fijian citizens. Provided directly to schools since 2014, the FEG supports a range of needs, including administration, building maintenance, information technology, library services, textbooks, physical education, teaching and learning materials, and transportation assistance. Families remain responsible for certain costs, such as school lunches, uniforms, stationery, and any additional tuition fees.
According to the MOE Finance Manual, the allocation of FEG per student follows a differential resourcing model (DRM), introduced to address limitations in the previous enrolment-based system, which disproportionately benefited larger, wealthier urban schools and contributed to rural–urban disparities. The formula seeks to promote more equitable allocation by considering various "disadvantage indices". The formula is structured as follows:
DF GRANT = Baseline ($2,000) + (School Roll × Disadvantage Index × Allocation per Student)
The Disadvantage Index considers factors such as distance from major towns or cities, accessibility by boat or road, increased costs of materials and transportation due to remoteness or difficult access, availability of public transport, telecommunication access, small or isolated island settings, socio-economic status, and access to amenities such as water, electricity, and medical facilities. Variations in the indices can also be applied across different divisions to capture local disadvantages, ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources.
Special and Inclusive Education Grant (SIEG)
In addition to the Free Education Grant, schools receive the Special and Inclusive Education Grant (SIEG) to support students with disabilities, in line with the 2024–2027 Special and Inclusive Education Policy. The SIEG covers all students with disabilities and is designed to ensure equitable distribution of resources across urban, rural, remote, and special schools.
3. Education resources to students and families
Introduced in 2010, the Bus Fare Assistance Scheme aimed to reduce education costs for vulnerable students, particularly those attending remote schools. The scheme provided transportation subsidies via Blue and Yellow Cards: Blue Cards were issued to students from households earning less than FJD 15,000 annually, offering fully subsidised bus fares, while Yellow Cards provided a fifty per cent subsidy for non-subsidised students. Coverage included bus services, Rural Service Licence operators, and boat services for rural and maritime schools. Restrictions applied to Blue Card usage during school holidays, weekends, and specific daily time blocks. The programme remained operational until 2024, when it was replaced by the Transport Assistance Scheme.
Fiji’s Back-to-School Support programme, launched in 2023, provides FJD 200 per student to families with a gross annual income of FJD 50,000 or less, covering education-related expenses and helping reduce inequalities. Eligible students include those enrolled in Early Childhood Education through Year 13 at public or government-funded private schools. Applications are open for five to seven weeks from late October to early December, either online or via schools. Families receiving subsidised transport do not require income verification, while others must submit a Statutory Declaration. Payments are disbursed in mid-January to prepare families for the new school year.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Since 1990, the Care and Protection Allowance (C&P) has been the primary programme supporting vulnerable children enrolled in school, administered by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Protection. It provides financial support to families of children under 18 attending early childhood education, primary, or secondary school who face vulnerabilities, including single-parent households, the death of a primary earner, parental imprisonment, foster care, or institutional care. As of 2023, the allowance ranges from FJD 33 to FJD 146 depending on the child’s level of education, with an additional FJD 50 food allowance.
5. School meal programmes
Fiji does not currently have a comprehensive school meal programme. Most school canteens operate on a user-pays basis, with students purchasing their own meals. In some rural schools lacking kitchen facilities, community groups provide hot cooked meals. To support child nutrition, a free milk initiative was introduced in 2015, entitling all Year One students to receive 250 ml of milk daily during school hours. This initiative aims to uphold every child’s right to adequate nourishment.
This profile was reviewed by Dr. Sofia Ali, Assistant Professor, Fiji National University.
