I’m Miliana Vakaloloma, a resident at Flagstaff, Suva. As a concerned citizen, I’m strongly compelled to address the increase in truancy rates of our students.
As a concerned citizen and a second-year student at the University of the South Pacific (USP), what grabs my attention is the selling of food parcels by many boys, as young as 10 years old, during school hours and late at night in areas in Suva such as the Sports City Complex, Cost U Less, Damodar City, McDonald’s
at Laucala Bay and outside NewWorld Supermarket at the FNPF Plaza in Suva.
They tend to approach people, begging them to buy their food parcels.
These young boys tend to demand elderly people buy their food parcels or in some scenarios they would follow customers coming out of supermarkets right to where their vehicles are parked.
In developing countries like Fiji, young boys selling food parcels during school hours is part of their daily routine and they ensure that their food parcels are sold out.
To address the issue of truancy in Fiji, cooperation and awareness is highly needed.
Firstly, truancy must be dealt from home as it is the core responsibility of parents to ensure the well-being and whereabouts of their children.
The Ministry of Education must investigate these and act; the Government must think twice on the policy of free education and bus fare assistance as these types of students are the ones wasting the education budget.
The Ministry of Education must conduct awareness in schools, communities on the impact of truancy on students and the future generation.
The Fiji Police Force must strengthen its operation team and have more manpower patrolling in towns and cities during and after school hours ensuring the
whereabouts of students.
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