THE MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT, PRODUCTIVITY INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND YOUTH AND SPORTS
HONOURABLE PARVEEN KUMAR BALA

Thursday, 8th October 2020, 2pm

• Honourable Assistant Minister,
• Divisional Manager Central,
• Training Officers,
• Youth participants;
• Invited guests;
• Members of the Media;
• Ladies and Gentlemen.
_____________________________________________

Ni sa Bula Vinaka and a very good-afternoon to you all.

I wish to extend my hearty congratulations to all the youth leaders from registered youth clubs for your achievements in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.

I am indeed honoured and exceptionally pleased to officiate here today as Minister for Youth and Sports.

I also acknowledge all who are present here today, especially the trainers that have graciously supported our awardees. Without your never ending support and encouragement, their efforts in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award would not have been successful. For that I thank you!

Ladies and Gentlemen, this year we celebrate more than a half-century of Fijian independence; we celebrate the resilience of our young people to overcome challenges of any scale, as Fiji’s 50th anniversary arrives alongside the global COVID-19 pandemic. I urge our youths to learn new skills and continue to upgrade yourselves because that is what is required in these changing times.

At this juncture , I wish to briefly talk on the award itself; the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award was introduced in Fiji in the early 1960s at the then Derek Institute in Suva, later became the Fiji Institute of Technology and now the Fiji National University, before it was coordinated by the then Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports.

It was founded by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh with a German educationalist Kurt Hahn in 1956 based on their concern that young people’s development was lacking in certain key areas especially in life skills and character development.

This is an internationally recognized award Ladies and Gentlemen and it just happen to be the world’s leading youth achievement Award available to all 14 to 24 year olds.

Today we will be witnessing the awards ceremony for 31 vibrant young people who have joined the Foundation in inspiring over 8 million young people across the globe. The award being presented today is recognised in all the 130 countries and territories around the world and you should all be proud of your achievement.

The Ministry of Youth & Sports since the early 1990s has been the National Award Operator coordinating the program in conjunction with the Ministry of Education through the respective participating Secondary Schools and youth clubs.

In September of 2017, the Ministry was issued a three years Full License to coordinate the Award as the National Award Operator in Fiji.

Ladies and Gentlemen, with the Ministry of Youth and Sports being the lead Ministry in Non-formal education, programs such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is targeted at empowerment trainings specifically in developing the young minds of our future leaders. Government continues to provide advocacy programs targeted at creating sustainable livelihood for each young person.

Not all learning takes place in the classroom. Young people need experiences outside the classroom to become committed, responsible and fulfilled citizens of Fiji. The Award’s non-formal educational model provides an alternative way for young people to gain a sense of self-esteem and achievement.

Through this Award, many of you have learnt new things and developed skills that will provide you with a sense of leadership and responsibility. The Award also provides you with an opportunity to establish new friendships that could last for a lifetime.

 

Under this Government, we have seen improved changes in the overall administration of our country. Our economy has grown to a level never achieved before by previous governments and we will achieve more. We have witnessed various infrastructural developments and upgrades in all divisions. We have introduced new policies and initiatives to benefit the ordinary Fijians. We have made new bilateral agreements and strategic international friendships and witnessed first-hand the support of our partner nations in moving this country forward.

Dear youth participants, Government recognises that young people will take over key leadership positions in the not too distant future and we are committed to the development of young Fijians. One of the overarching initiative in the Free Education Policy that you all are a beneficiary of and this is complemented. We have also adopted a strategy to listen to young people as only then will we be able to progress changes in policies, review youth development and sports programs and offerings relevant to contemporary youth developments in rural, urban and peri-urban areas.

I wish to reiterate Government’s unwavering commitment to the development of young people in the country. Your Government has always placed significant emphasis on the growth of our nation, whether it is from an economic perspective, social, health or from a political perspective.

We do recognizes that for our nation to reach the apex of accomplishment and to maintain a holistic and justifiable growth, we must direct practical and consistent effort towards the development of our young people as we are determined to develop leaders that are positive, optimistic and determined to build a better future for Fiji.

Nonetheless, I am quite proud of your achievements and firmly believe that you will all become responsible youths and move the Central side towards a positive and secure future. It is therefore important that we continue to dedicate our efforts and support Government’s initiatives towards the nurturing of young people at all times.

Do not to stop here but to continue to share with your peers how the Award has provided opportunities with the lifetime experiences and apply the same concept of learning through the non-formal and formal education system.

With those few words I again congratulate you all and wish you all the very best for the years to come.

Thank you and vinaka vakalevu

 

-ENDS-