*At its core, the scandal is simple: A private training provider, Pacific Polytech, with no accredited courses, was awarded government grants it was never entitled to receive. And the FHEC has now confirmed under oath that these payments bypassed its statutory authority. |  *How did Pacific Polytech bypass statutory regulation? *Who authorised the payments? *Which minister approved the budget line? *Was Cabinet misled? |
| A seismic parliamentary report and sworn testimony have confirmed what students, educators, and whistle-blowers long suspected: the Pacific Polytech was receiving taxpayer funds despite not being accredited, not being approved by the Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC), and not meeting national qualifications standards. This revelation, now formally tabled in Parliament, strikes at the heart of Fiji’s education governance and raises serious questions of political influence, abuse of office, and collusion in the allocation of public funds. |  |
At its core, the scandal is simple: A private training provider with no accredited courses was awarded government grants it was never entitled to receive. And the FHEC has now confirmed under oath that these payments bypassed its statutory authority.
FHEC Director: “Funds Were Allocated Illegally”
During the Standing Committee on Social Affairs hearing, Committee Member Parveen Bala asked directly whether grants given to Pacific Polytech were illegal.
The FHEC Director, Dr Eci Naisele, did not mince words:
“Anyone else allowing funding to go through is not legal.”
“For that matter, I would say yes.”
That admission, delivered publicly and on the record, is unprecedented. It confirms the grants breached Fiji’s higher-education funding laws.
And it immediately raises the critical question: Who authorised the illegal funding, and why?
The Facts: Pacific Polytech Should Never Have Received a Cent
Parliament’s findings are blunt. The Committee confirmed:
“Grants were allocated to institutions who were not approved by FHEC, namely Pacific Polytech and Service Pro Institute.”
“All courses offered at Pacific Polytech are not accredited by the FHEC.”
And its recommendation could not be clearer:
“Future funding of Pacific Polytech must stop immediately.”
Even more damning, the Committee recommended Parliament establish a Commission of Inquiry into the scandal:
“The Inquiry to look into the non-accreditation, and how the grant was allocated given that they did not meet the criteria.”
This is now a live call for investigation by the Parliament itself.
Regulatory Bypass: Who Pulled the Strings?
Fiji’s laws are explicit: no institution can receive government grants unless accredited and approved by FHEC. Yet Pacific Polytech somehow leap-frogged compliant institutions and pocketed public money.
The FHEC Director explained the proper process:
“We are the only legislated institution in Fiji to give out funding on behalf of the Fiji Government.”
So when funds flowed to Pacific Polytech outside that process, it wasn’t a mistake. It was a breach.
How did Pacific Polytech bypass statutory regulation?
Who authorised the payments?
Which minister approved the budget line?
Was Cabinet misled?
The public now deserves those answers.
Impact: Fiji’s Students as Collateral Damage
This scandal didn’t just violate law. It jeopardised the futures of Fiji’s young people.
Unaccredited programmes mean:
Worse, the hearing also revealed caregiver institutions flooding the market with unaccredited graduates who were promised overseas employment:
“Excessive number of students...later closed.”
Once again, students became casualties of a broken oversight system.
A Track Record of Bending Rules?
Pacific Polytech’s name has surfaced repeatedly in whistle-blower circles over the last three years, especially during alleged political favouritism in TVET funding.
This parliamentary evidence is the first formal confirmation that:
What Happens Next?
Parliament has the ball. It must:
Additionally, students who paid fees to Pacific Polytech should be entitled to:
The Committee itself stressed that FHEC must be able to operate “without any interference.”
Now we know why.
This is not simply a bureaucratic oversight. This is a deliberate circumvention of law, funneling taxpayer money to an unqualified provider, at the expense of students, the integrity of Fiji’s qualification system, and public trust.
The fact that the scandal only surfaced because of parliamentary scrutiny points to a systemic problem: regulatory capture and political manipulation in tertiary funding.
For the first time, the truth is now on record.
The next move belongs to the Parliament, and the people of Fiji.
FHEC Director: “Funds Were Allocated Illegally”
During the Standing Committee on Social Affairs hearing, Committee Member Parveen Bala asked directly whether grants given to Pacific Polytech were illegal.
The FHEC Director, Dr Eci Naisele, did not mince words:
“Anyone else allowing funding to go through is not legal.”
“For that matter, I would say yes.”
That admission, delivered publicly and on the record, is unprecedented. It confirms the grants breached Fiji’s higher-education funding laws.
And it immediately raises the critical question: Who authorised the illegal funding, and why?
The Facts: Pacific Polytech Should Never Have Received a Cent
Parliament’s findings are blunt. The Committee confirmed:
“Grants were allocated to institutions who were not approved by FHEC, namely Pacific Polytech and Service Pro Institute.”
“All courses offered at Pacific Polytech are not accredited by the FHEC.”
And its recommendation could not be clearer:
“Future funding of Pacific Polytech must stop immediately.”
Even more damning, the Committee recommended Parliament establish a Commission of Inquiry into the scandal:
“The Inquiry to look into the non-accreditation, and how the grant was allocated given that they did not meet the criteria.”
This is now a live call for investigation by the Parliament itself.
Regulatory Bypass: Who Pulled the Strings?
Fiji’s laws are explicit: no institution can receive government grants unless accredited and approved by FHEC. Yet Pacific Polytech somehow leap-frogged compliant institutions and pocketed public money.
The FHEC Director explained the proper process:
“We are the only legislated institution in Fiji to give out funding on behalf of the Fiji Government.”
So when funds flowed to Pacific Polytech outside that process, it wasn’t a mistake. It was a breach.
How did Pacific Polytech bypass statutory regulation?
Who authorised the payments?
Which minister approved the budget line?
Was Cabinet misled?
The public now deserves those answers.
Impact: Fiji’s Students as Collateral Damage
This scandal didn’t just violate law. It jeopardised the futures of Fiji’s young people.
Unaccredited programmes mean:
- No recognised qualifications
- Barriers to jobs in Fiji
- No international portability of skills
- Exploitation of families who paid fees in good faith
Worse, the hearing also revealed caregiver institutions flooding the market with unaccredited graduates who were promised overseas employment:
“Excessive number of students...later closed.”
Once again, students became casualties of a broken oversight system.
A Track Record of Bending Rules?
Pacific Polytech’s name has surfaced repeatedly in whistle-blower circles over the last three years, especially during alleged political favouritism in TVET funding.
This parliamentary evidence is the first formal confirmation that:
- The institution was not accredited
- Government money flowed anyway
- The regulator was bypassed
- The transaction was unlawful
What Happens Next?
Parliament has the ball. It must:
- Launch the Commission of Inquiry
- Freeze all payments pending investigation
- Refer the matter to FICAC
- Audit all TVET allocations between 2018–2024
- Investigate possible political interference in FHEC
Additionally, students who paid fees to Pacific Polytech should be entitled to:
- Refunds
- Government-funded retraining
- Recognition of prior learning pathways
The Committee itself stressed that FHEC must be able to operate “without any interference.”
Now we know why.
This is not simply a bureaucratic oversight. This is a deliberate circumvention of law, funneling taxpayer money to an unqualified provider, at the expense of students, the integrity of Fiji’s qualification system, and public trust.
The fact that the scandal only surfaced because of parliamentary scrutiny points to a systemic problem: regulatory capture and political manipulation in tertiary funding.
For the first time, the truth is now on record.
The next move belongs to the Parliament, and the people of Fiji.
From Fijileaks Archive, 10 August 2024
