'Yavutu' Programme: Quality Education Begins in the Early Years

Suva, Fiji, 24 October 2025 – The Ministry of Education has launched the ‘Yavutu’ Programme today to ensure that every girl and boy in Fiji, including those with disabilities, receives quality early education in inclusive, nurturing environments that are well-equipped for learning.

Funded by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and supported by UNICEF together with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, this four-year US$5 million programme focuses on building literacy and numeracy, alongside essential life skills. These skills include socio-emotional development, confidence, persistence, and a love of learning – supporting children with the tools they need for lifelong success.

"The early years of a child’s education are critical. It is during this time that the building blocks of literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills are laid. These are the skills that shape a child’s ability to learn, to grow, and to thrive in an ever-changing world. Yet, we know that too many of our children are falling behind before they even have a chance to begin,” said the Minister for Education, Hon. Aseri Radrodro. "Yavutu strengthens and connects what already exists - aligning national reforms, supporting local ownership, and linking classrooms, teacher training institutions, and ministry systems as stipulated in the 2023 Denarau Declaration.”

Fiji’s first major assessments in reading and math - known as the Literacy and Numeracy Assessment - are conducted in Years 5 and 7. Results consistently show that most students score in the lower bands, putting them at risk of falling behind or eventually dropping out. The 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey showed similar patterns, revealing that many children aged 8 to 14 lacked the basic reading and math skills expected by the end of Year 2. Some had still not reached those levels even by age 14.

These weak early learning foundations often lead to poor performance in later years. In 2022, 38 per cent of Year 8 students failed their national examination and nearly 60 per cent failed math. While failure rates are lower in Years 12 and 13, this is largely because many struggling students leave school before reaching those grades.

GPE is proud to stand alongside Fiji as it works to ensure that every student not only attends school, but truly learns and thrives,” said GPE’s CEO, Laura Frigenti. “The launch of the System Transformation Grant is a milestone that reflects Fiji’s unwavering commitment to transform its education to give every child a quality education that unlocks their potential.”

The ‘Yavutu’ programme focuses on empowering teachers and learners from pre-primary to Year 3 with hands-on training and better classroom resources. It will equip education leaders with the skills, tools, and support they need to mentor teachers, lead school improvement, and drive quality teaching across the system.

The programme will also support teacher training institutions and formalize school clusters for peer learning. In addition, it aims to improve national policies and curricula to guide teachers to ensure smooth, inclusive transitions from pre-primary to early primary education.

“The early years are where we can make the biggest difference. The ‘Yavutu’ programme is about giving every child, especially the most vulnerable, a strong foundation for learning and life,” said UNICEF Pacific’s Deputy Representative (a.i), Anna Smeby. “When we invest early, we help children walk into school with confidence and the foundational skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. By building evidence and experience in better supporting teachers in their critical role, Fiji is able to strengthen its education system toward sustainable, scalable, and transformative change. UNICEF is proud to stand with the Ministry of Education and GPE to make this vision a reality for every child in Fiji.”

By 2029, the ‘Yavutu’ programme aims to ensure that children - especially girls, children with disabilities, and those in remote communities – can develop strong skills in reading, writing, math, as well as other areas early on to succeed in school through later grades.

###

Notes to Editors
Additional quote:
"Early childhood education is one of the most critical and cost-effective investments a country can make in its people and overall development," said Australian High Commission's Acting Counsellor, Human Development, Tess McSpedden. "Early interventions and inclusive environments help ensure all children, including those with disabilities, flourish. High quality early learning services are essential to closing learning gaps."