Changing the Culture of Violence in Fiji

Schools, other organisations and the communities are requesting training in The Virtues Project to improve the relationships between the members of the community/group. Such relationships are teacher/student, student/student, administrators/staff, staff and general public and leaders and community members. The five strategies of The Virtues Project can be applied not only within the family for which it was prepared but between all members of the communities in their various relationships. The training that is being provided by facilitators in Fiji is affecting not only the relationships but has also proven economically powerful helping people improve their businesses.

The facilitators have traveled to cities and schools since the last report explaining how the Virtues Project works. Follow up training is being organised as part of the program for 2019. Further work is being planned for the puppets to help with the training in the communities.

As part of this activity the Virtues Project Fiji received an invitation during School Annual Awards Day:

A Virtues Project Fiji facilitator was invited from one kindergarten school in Ba and a primary school in Nadi to present on “How the virtues strategies helps parents to understand their role in their children's education".

The Ministry of Education aims is to deliver to our children the highest quality education contextualize to demands of this era. Thus the Virtues program see that students need to be capable not only of constantly adapting but also constantly learning and growing, of positioning themselves in the fast changing world. This is why parental support and guidance using the 5 strategies are important and parents play vital roles in these development.

The education system in Fiji understands with technological advancement, increasing social problems, there is a need to strengthen virtues and values amongst the student as well as teachers. Values and virtues will instill discipline amongst students as well as staff and eventually improve attendance and punctuality. A culture needs to be created in the school whereby the students, teachers and parents understand each other’s values and thoughts. Being appreciative, recognizing and accepting other differences would enable one to work collaboratively with others and together meet set benchmarks.

Therefore both the schools requested to have more follow up training for the teachers, students and parents to enable them to achieve their school objective and for parents to have the skills to be able to address issues that affect their personal lives.

Thus The Virtues Project Fiji is integrated into a whole approach to education.

We had technical problems and could not get photos of the children in this story.

The facilitators have been busy over the past three months following up with visits to more than 25 families and talking to school teachers about class room control issues.

People have been calling for advice on issues with children being absent from school, with parents only finding out their children have not been at school when attending teacher/parent days. The Virtues Project facilitators have explained the need for the parents to ask their children about this problem and listen to what the child has to say. Most children are not going to school after leaving home as if they are going to school because they are having problems with some subjects or with teachers or with bullying from other students, even teachers. One example was of a child who could not cope with maths so he did not go to school after leaving home as if he was going to school. When his parents talked to him about this after they learned of the matter they were able to talk to the teacher and get a coach to help the child understand the subject and cope with the class. Using the art of companioning from the Virtues Project strategies solved the problem and is being used by other parents when it is explained to them what they need to do when they find out their child is having problems.

Another issue that has arisen is that the police have been going to the schools and telling the children about their ‘rights’ and focusing on them reporting when they are hit or beaten by parents or teachers. The outcome is that the teachers have no control over the class as the children now consider their ‘rights’ to do what they like. No one is explaining ‘responsibilities’, and teachers do not know how to deal with the children so ‘empowered’.

Having received these reports from the teachers the Virtues facilitators will approach the police and give them some guidance about how to present the ‘rights of the child’ especially when they are beaten and abused as well as their responsibilities to obey authority when it is correctly presented such as setting clear boundaries and consequences.

In addition to the above activities the facilitators have been working with the children in their neighbourhoods during school holidays giving them activities that relate to using their virtues and understanding how to use them.

The demand for more information and training with The Virtues Project includes requests for the puppets so they will be getting out of their storage case and joining in the fun.