Vuya Public School, Bua Photo: Facebook / Ministry of Education Fiji
The Fijian Teachers Union is demanding for a 30 percent pay increase, as talks between the government and the unions remains at a stalemate.
The union is not backing down and have threatened strike action, as the education ministry struggles to fill critical positions due to teacher shortage in the country.
FTU general secretary Muniappa Goundar told local radio broadcaster fijivillage.com that there are teachers who have gone without a salary increase for almost two decades.
Gounder met with met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Biman Prasad, last week, but said no progress was made at the talks.
He said if Prasad can find the money to pay for thesalary hikes which Members of Parliament (MP) gave themselves last month, then he should be able to find funds to pay teachers.
"If a teacher started 17 years ago...that teacher has been in the classroom without any increment," he told fijivillage.com.
"And the parliamentarians just in one in half years, they get a huge average [increase] about 66 percent.
"That's is what we are trying to say. If he is able to give that to the parliamentarians, why can't he give that 30 percent to the teachers?"
However, Prasad told local media "a 30 percent increase is not something the government is considering".
He said the government was considering a pay rise for civil serverants, which will include the teachers.
Prasad will deliver the 2024/2025 Budget next Friday.