Literacy in Fiji: Its origins and its development

Literacy was introduced into Fiji by Christian missionaries just over 150 years ago, and for almost 100 years limited literacy practices were fostered by schools run mainly by the churches. With the rise of towns and of a bureaucracy, literacy in English as a second language was also introduced. But the levels of literacy in both vernacular and the second languages have been generally low, especially in the rural areas. A research project set up to improve literacy in educational contexts is described. Current problems related to literacy and future developments are discussed.     

A student's view of an engineering exchange scheme (2)

British engineering is in the doldrums. It no longer has the glamorous self-confidence that it enjoyed in the Victorian era. In comparison with France, Germany and the USA, grand engineering schemes in Britain are realized only very painfully, if at all. The link between technologists and planners and the national policy-making machinery (government) that Telford and Brunel enjoyed has to a large extent been severed. The academically bright tend to avoid engineering because it is not generally recognised to be an intellectual pursuit.