The Suva High Court has ordered that members of the Fijian Teachers Association who called off their two-day strike when the education ministry brought forward the 2nd term school holidays must be paid for the holiday period.
Radio Legend reports that Justice Filimoni Jitoko has ruled that the interim government cannot withhold the salaries of the teachers.
The education minister, Netani Sukanaivalu, had earlier said that the teachers were deemed to be still on strike during the two-week school holidays and would not be paid.
He also said the savings would be used to recruit new teachers who are currently unemployed.
Justice Jitoko also ruled that that the education ministry cannot suspend the president of the Fijian Teachers Association, Tevita Koroi, as principal of a government secondary school and must reinstate him.
As well, Justice Jitoko ruled that the education ministry must refrain from recruiting applicants to fill teaching positions held by members of the Fijian Teachers Association who went on strike.
But the teachers will not be paid for the two days they were on strike.
Officials of the Association have welcomed the judge's rulings and called on the interim government to abide by them.
