The Chair of the Higher Education Commission Fiji (HECF), Mr. Steve Chand, delivered an address on the second day of the Fiji Teachers and Principals Conference 2025 at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva, emphasizing the urgent need to guide students earlier in their educational journey.
Speaking to school leaders, Mr. Chand elaborated on the HECF’s initiative with the Ministry of “right-pathing” and “staircasing” secondary school students — a strategic approach designed to help students find suitable pathways before they leave school.
“It’s too late to try and capture students after they’ve finished school,” he warned, urging a more proactive approach within the school system. He stressed the importance of identifying students’ strengths and aligning them with viable education and career pathways from an earlier stage.
Mr. Chand also called for stronger collaboration between the HECF and school leadership, particularly Heads of Schools. “We see Heads of Schools as the general practitioners of the education sector — they understand the landscape better than anyone else,” he said.
The HECF, he added, is committed to fostering deeper engagement and cooperation with school leaders to ensure students are better prepared for higher education and beyond.
