Women, Children and Social Protection Minister Lynda Tabuya has noted a concerning rise in cases of child neglect in Fiji.

She is urging parents and the community to take greater responsibility for their children.

Ms Tabuya said there was a need for more active engagement in the lives of children and people need to start realising that.

“So, it is back to the family unit, it is back to the responsibilities of parents and guidance, it is not the responsibility of the Government solely, to deal with this,” Ms Tabuya said.

“This issue, it is really the primary responsibility of parents and guardians, to take care of the family, and the Government and all other stakeholders can only support that effort.

“But it has to come from them, they need to desire it, and so we are reaching out to our parents, and guardians, to take more responsibility for their children.

Additionally, Ms Tabuya noted that some parents spend excessive time on their phones, which detracts from meaningful interactions with their children.

“The children would like to see that change, where the parents engage with them more meaningfully.”

In a related context, Education Minister Aseri Radrodro revealed that 5726 students dropped out of school before completing Year 10 between 2019 and 2023.

In response, Ms Tabuya emphasised the need to make education compulsory in Fiji.

“With education now being free, parents must understand their responsibility to ensure their children attend school.

“Now, they need to have the responsibility to ensure their child goes to school, so we need to introduce compulsory education in this country. And I think we’ll see parents and guardians take more responsibility for their children to attend school.”