Language-in-education policy in Fiji: implications for linguistic equity and educational outcomes

This paper addresses Fiji's education and language policies, with a particular focus on the implications of medium-of-instruction choices and language planning practices in a multilingual, postcolonial context. Drawing on recent literature, historical and contemporary policy documents, the paper highlights the persistent dominance of English in educational domains at the expense of iTaukei, Fiji Hindi, and other minority languages. Despite constitutional recognition of linguistic equality, a coherent and inclusive national language policy remains absent, as Fiji has not had any substantive language policy update in almost a century. The qualitative policy analysis underscores the limited implementation of vernacular education initiatives and the lack of systemic support for multilingualism in curriculum development, teacher training, and resource allocation. The issues discussed are relevant, and Fiji could be utilised as a case study for other similar contexts, particularly those in the global south, as we strive to better centre these settings with major improvement with regard to established scholarship and research in the related fields. The findings of this paper make a significant contribution to the literature by incorporating prior scholarship and research in the fields of language education, language policy, applied linguistics, and medium of instruction policy.