Education provision in the third world: The actors, and the lessons of a study in Fiji

Education decentralization is sweeping through many third world countries. The geographic disparities of access to education are crippling many regions and communities. Within Fiji a Community Based Approach to education is further exacerbating geographic disparities. This practice places the responsibility of education on individual communities, many of which are unable to construct and maintain schools. However, since the late 1980s, numerous players such as the World Bank, UNESCO, as well as other donor agencies and countries have been crucial in developing education strategies for the Fijian education system. The motives behind these strategies need to be critiqued. Do they benefit Fijians, and their education needs? Since the end of seventy years of British colonial rule, Fiji has witnessed many transitions, including four coup d'etats over the last two decades which have stifled social, political and economic development. To overcome this historical and current political unrest, many Fijians have pursued white-collar jobs. Within my research, I discuss how a philanthropist in the Yasawa Islands is trying to help the surrounding communities pursue the elusive white-collar job, although it remains to be seen if this is practical to their needs and realities.