1. FIJIAN PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF INDONESIA – PRIME Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has extended his well wishes to the newly elected President of the Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo.
2. COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED TO REVIEW EXAMINATION SCALING – The Ministry of Education today announced theestablishment of a review committee to examine the scaling of final examination marks.
3. WOMEN AND CHILDREN MINISTRY LIGHTS UP HOMES THIS DIWALI – The disadvantaged children and senior citizens of Fiji’s residential homes will this year experience a memorable and joyous Diwali tradition through the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation visitations.
1 FIJIAN PRIME MINISTER CONGRATULATES NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF INDONESIA
PRIME Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has extended his well wishes to the newly elected President of the Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo.
In his congratulatory note, he said the Fijian people and the Government wished President Widodo well as he assumes the position as the seventh President of Indonesia.
“It gives me great pleasure and honor on behalf of my Government and the people of Fiji to extend to you our hearty congratulations now that Your Excellency has officially assumed the highest position in theland as the seventh President of the Republic of Indonesia”, Prime Minister Bainimarama said.
The Prime Minister’s congratulatory message saw him re-affirm Fiji’s commitment towards strengthening relations between the two countries.
“I have high hopes for Indonesia with your visionary and caring leadership. I have high hopes too for our diplomatic relations that this year celebrated its 40th anniversary,” Prime Minister Bainimarama said.
He said the Fijian Government renewed its commitment with every hope and confidence that such relations that have grown and borne fruit would endure into the future in mutually satisfying ways.
2 COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED TO REVIEW EXAMINATION SCALING
The Ministry of Education today announced the establishment of a review committee to examine the scaling of final examination marks.
The Minister for Education, Dr Mahendra Reddy said the review is aimed at ascertaining whether the intended objective of scaling is met by the existing scaling process and formula.
Dr Reddy said the three-member review team will work within a three-week timeline and the output of the review will be used for this year’s external examinations.
“We do not want to pass failed students; that is not the objective of scaling. We need to be clear about that,” Dr Reddy said.
“We want to ensure that scaling does not result in us sending students to the university or to the job market who are not ready.”
The independent review team, with background in policy making and quantitative economics as well mathematics, statistics and education, is led by the Professor and Head of Economics at the University of the South Pacific (USP), Professor Satya Paul.
Professor Paul, who has an extensive knowledge in the area of scaling, was the Professor of Economics in the University of Western Sydney.
He will be assisted by educationist, Professor Subhash Chandra and USP Associate Professor of Mathematics, Dr Jito Vanualailai, who will provide the review team quantitative dimension.
“The scaling should give a right message not only to the current students but also to the future generation of this country. It should also give the right message to the employers and all other stakeholders,” Professor Paul said.
“We have to carefully look at a formula and decide what should be the criteria to shift the mean to the right handside or to the left. This is the most important thing to decide, that is, to change the mean or if there is an alternative to mean.”
Dr Reddy added that a full report would be made public after the completion of the review.
3 WOMEN AND CHILDREN MINISTRY LIGHTS UP HOMES THIS DIWALI
The disadvantaged children and senior citizens of Fiji’s residential homes will this year experience a memorable and joyous Diwali tradition through the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation visitations.
Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Rosy Akbar today received Diwali Treat Packs from Punja and Sons Limited, which will be distributed by the ministry this week.
Minister Akbar in receiving the donation acknowledged Punja and Sons Limited for their support, which she said would boost the ministry’s efforts in its outreach programs.
“I am indeed very happy in doing the honors in receiving the generous donations from Punja’s as part of their social corporateresponsibility towards the Ministry’s Deepawali celebrations for our residential homes for the underprivileged including children, the elderly and other disadvantaged groups under our care.
“The generous donation today provide another mileage for the Ministry in outreaching its programs. This however also embraces an opportune time for the Ministry to provide a well – established relationship with a truly private public partnership sector,” Mrs. Akbar said.
Group Marketing Manager for Punja and Sons Limited, Gopal Jadhav further commended the ministry and highlighted their support throughongoing charitable projects to various senior citizens and children’s organization.
“We, collectively as a company and as caring individuals, wholeheartedly applaud the ministry for their thoughtful initiative to bring a little bit of light and joy to the residents of the city’s children and old folks residential homes,” Mr Jadhav said.
The distributions will be made to the following homes; Pearce Home, Saint Vincent De Paul, Samabula Senior Citizens Home, Home of Compassion, Pearly Gates Home, Dilkusha Home, Homes of Hope and Saint Christopher’s Home to name a few.
DEPT OF INFO