Globalization in Fiji

Globalization is a basically connecting different countries together as a global village, thus this reflective journal is divided into three parts. Part one will highlight on some of the influences of globalization on Fiji’s education system and its education delivery. Part two will state some advantages and disadvantages of globalization on the education system. Part three will elaborate on how to control the negative impact of globalization on Fiji’s education system. Eventually, the conclusion will be drawn.

Some of the influences of globalization on Fiji’s education system are that teachers from different countries, who come to teach in Fiji, will teach the students according to their own countries education system rather than adhering to Fiji’s education system. They also bring their own ideas and ways of their countries to teach in Fiji schools. The expatriates who come from overseas to Fiji also try to implement the knowledge of their own countries education system into Fiji’s education system. Different ideas may also be implemented into Fiji’s education system by teachers and education officers who have studied abroad and are now back in Fiji. Currently the educational ideas from Australia and New Zealand education system are being followed in Fiji. There is no corporal punishment allowed in Fiji schools. All the Fiji secondary schools are now to have Councilors, Academic Councilors, Discipline Councilors and a Child Protection Officer (C.P.O).

In addition, some advantages of globalization on Fiji’s education system are that new and innovative ideas come into Fiji regarding the education system from overseas countries. This is possible as exchange of teachers in schools from overseas, come and teach in Fiji. Teachers from Fiji go abroad and study certain countries education system and when they return to Fiji, they implement their knowledge and skills of that countries education system in Fiji. Education support is given by governments in other countries as computers were donated by the Australian, New Zealand and Japan governments to Fiji. Scholarships are also given to the students by the overseas governments. Better understanding and cultural diversity is promoted across countries as students and teachers form different countries who, are studying and teaching in Fiji and vice versa, learn about each other’s cultures through interaction and there is a understanding, peace and harmony between each other.
Furthermore some disadvantages of globalization on Fiji’s education system are the influence on our countries culture by following a new culture. Currently the emphasis is placed on the modern education system where the students learn cultures and start adopting it, while losing their own identity and culture. Example the students in Fiji now don’t want to learn their mother tongue – Hindi and Fijian language in schools. There is also a culture shock to students in schools as teachers from different countries have their own ways of teaching and have different pronunciation of words which the students find hard to understand. This is the same for teachers going from Fiji to teach in overseas.
As Fiji is a small country, overseas experts will try and make Fiji’s education system (curriculum) based on their own countries education system. This is a dominating factor as larger countries think of their education system as superior and the other education systems inferior.
There are also contributing factors towards conflicts and inequalities as when a teacher from overseas is teaching something new on a subject, the students get conflicting ideas as they think what that teacher is teaching is totally different from what they had learnt according to their culture and education system. This happens because the teacher teaches according to his/her own countries education system rather than Fiji’s education system. The thinking of these teachers’s is totally different to that of Fiji teachers and principals.

To control the negative impact of globalization on Fiji’s education system is through integration as Fiji is a multicultural country. Therefore, maintaining our own education system as well as learning other education systems from the world to live peacefully and hormonally as far as connecting links and trade is concerned.

To conclude one would say that globalization has both, the good and the bad impact on Fiji’s education system. To have a good communication amongst the countries, it is important to live in a global village. One should not forget that in the modern era, globalization plays a significant role to improve the well being of an individual and the country as a whole thus education is one of the means to be part of this system.