The Registration of Post-Secondary Education in Fiji.

During a press conference yesterday, the Higher Education Commission Fiji (HECF), Chairperson Steve Chand, issued a strong warning to all Higher Education Institutions operating in Fiji without the required registration.

Education remains the cornerstone of progress and development for any nation, and Fiji is no exception. Today, we wish to reiterate and emphasize our ongoing efforts to enhance the accessibility and quality of post-secondary education opportunities for all Fijians.

And to inform and remind the public about the responsibilities as a higher education institution.

First and foremost:

  1. All higher education institutions must be established and registered under the Higher Education Act 2008.
  • Regulation 16 (1) of the Higher Education Regulations 2009 (“Regulations”) states, “a person who intends to operate an institution must apply for registration to the Commission.”
  • Section 13 of the Higher Education Act 2008, parts (1) – (3), alludes to and reads as follows:

Part (1) no person shall establish or operate a higher education institution unless the institution is established and registered under the Act.

Part (2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offense and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 for an individual or $250,000 for a body corporate or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 years for an individual or director of a body corporate, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

Part (3) Any person who operates a higher education institution, that is neither university nor a degree-awarding institute of technology, in contravention of subsection (1), commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000 for an individual or $100,000 for a body corporate or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years for an individual or a director for a body corporate, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

Hence, any institution that decides to offer post-secondary, and awards without proper registration is liable for prosecution.

Please consider this release as a warning to those who are currently pursuing without the proper registration with the higher education commission. We humbly request that you get your act together before we find out.

To get registered, please refer to the HECF online portal for recognition and registration of applications. The link for the system is: 4r.hec.org.fj.

Minister for Employment Visits HECF.

The Minister for Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations (MEPIR), Honorable Agni Deo Singh, visited the Higher Education Commission Fiji (HECF). The visit aimed to foster collaboration directed toward advancing the nation’s prosperity, notably centering on pivotal issues like mitigating the widespread skills gap and the emigration of our proficient workforce.

HECF Chair Steve Chand, expressed readiness for collaborative efforts with MEPIR to tackle shared concerns on the agenda.

Minister of Home Affairs Visits HECF

The Minister of Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua visited the Higher Education Commission Fiji today. He was inspired by the work undertaken by the Commission towards vocational education.

The Minister emphasized the importance of collaboration between sectors to ensure the holistic progress of Fiji’s education sector and the development of Fiji’s economy. He was informed about the involvement of the Police in taking training down to the communities.