Counselling in schools
Fergus Garrett, Vatuwaqa
The following is a quote from the Ministry: “All teachers are to be given full teaching load in their respective subject areas. All teachers are expected to have some basic knowledge of counselling …”
This decree opens up serious questions. Just where will all teachers get “a basic knowledge of counselling”? And just when will they be able to use that knowledge, since they are to have a “full teaching load”?
A basic knowledge of counselling is of no use without an empathetic personality and about 40 hours of skill training: “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing”.
In the past some secondary schools have had full-time counsellors, and they actually needed to work full-time.
Surely the district counsellors cannot handle that load for all the secondary schools in the district: a counselling session lasts 40-50 minutes, meaning a maximum of about 8-10 students can be dealt with in a day by one person.
With changes in disciplinary procedures and growing urban problems for families, the number of students needing help is escalating.
Pray for Israel
Sir James Ah Koy, Suva
It is my belief that every Judeo-Christian living in Fiji should at this hour pray for Israel as she undergoes attacks from her neighbours.
This is occurring on a daily basis. The biblical text of Psalm 122:6-9 reads ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; May those who love you prosper; peace be within your ramparts and prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of these my brothers and my friends, I shall say, ‘Peace be within you’. For the sake of the house of the Lord our God I shall pray for your wellbeing. This is the prayer Judeo-Christians should offer right now.
Rape culture
Damodaran Nadan, Lautoka
Another week and another news of rape.
Almost every week we hear that someone is raped. It’s like a trend that mostly the victims are between the ages of 9 to 12 years, which is very shocking.
It seems that it’s getting out of control. Its spreading like cancer in our society and it has to stop.
When I was a young boy growing up one day in town I saw a man walking very differently from others. I asked my father and he told me that he was caned while in jail. I didn’t understand it at the time what he meant. I think the Government should re-introduce this form of punishment for rapists, and that to in public otherwise it will be too late.
Let the human rights activists jump up and down because the victim is also a human, and what about their rights. It’s not too late yet.
LTA bookings
Vinesh Prasad, Nausori
It is rather sad to read that Land Transport Authority (LTA) personnel are booking taxi drivers for wearing hats while driving.
I know that LTA is right but couldn’t they just give a warning to drivers and book them if they continue to do so? I believe LTA has more serious issues to address like:
1). Overloaded vehicles using our roads causing damages to the road and bridges;
2). Overloading of passengers on buses on busy routes;
3). Bus drivers not issuing bus fare tickets to passengers. There was so much hype on this issue some two years ago, where LTA marshals’ were conducting regular checks. When passengers demand tickets, they are simply told by the driver that the tickets are being printed.
4). Bus and taxi drivers using mobile phones while driving when their vehicles are not carrying passengers. Is this allowed?
5). Bus companies are unable to service their routes on time. They have no backup buses in cases when there is a bus break-down.
I firmly believe that the above are serious issues that LTA should concrete on so that our nation does not waste taxpayers funds on damaged infrastructure like roads and bridges, road deaths, etc through the negligence of the controlling body.
Vodafone network
Amrit Singh, Nausori
Vodafone calls its network number 1.
But during Sundays downloads become slower and data is gone in minutes. Whenever I call their customer care they tell me Digicel’s network is interfering with Vodafone’s network.
Well I guess Fiji doesn’t even have a million citizens, and Vodafone cannot supply required amount of network speed.
I wonder how New Zealand and other countries supply their services.
Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj