24 Jan 2005

Fiji Government to use peer groups to combat social problems among teens

7:54 pm on 24 January 2005

Fiji's Minister for Education, Ro Teimumu Kepa, says they will set up peer groups in secondary schools near Suva, in a bid to curb social problems among teens.

The Ministry of Education will spend some of the European Union's 3 point 5 million US dollar funding to set up these student-run support groups.

Mrs Kepa says they're hoping the programme will be as successful as it is in Australia.

"There are so many issues now that confront us now in schools, in terms of teenage pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, and we hope with the peer support programme we can have the students assisting one another."

Ro Teimumu Kepa says the Education Ministry is looking to go into partnership with volunteer organisations, like Rotary.