The Fiji government has announced it will fund free education for all primary and secondary school students under its new budget.
The prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who also holds the finance portfolio, delivered the 2014 budget in Suva this morning.
He says the budget focuses on education, which allocates more than half a billion Fiji dollars to the sector next year.
He says the government will provide 250 Fiji dollars per year per student - which he says is a dramatic increase from the 30 dollars per child the government currently spends.
"From next year, no family will have to pay any tuition fees, textbook fees, building fees, or any other fee usually charged by schools from Year 1 to Year 8. To fund this new initiative, my Government has allocated $34 million."
Commodore Frank Bainimarama says students will also be encouraged to pursue tertiary education, with a new low interest tertiary loan scheme to be introduced next year.