VILLAGERS of Tobuniqio in Tailevu want the Ministry of Education to clarify its 'free education' policy.
The villagers voiced their disappointment through their submissions to the Constitution Commission in Tailevu.
Former roko tui Tailevu, Ratu Emori Latitoga, who served as a civil servant for 41 years, said they had been misled by the 'free education' announced by the ministry in 2010.
"What free education are they talking about?" he said.
"There has never been free education in Fiji."
Ratu Emori urged the commission to consider the needs of the people and ensure they are served faithfully by the people in authority.
He said a number of children from his village had dropped out of school because of the misconception of free education.
"We have parents taking their children to school only to return home heartbroken because the free education only applies to certain things," he said.
Another villager Taniela Colavi said the distribution of scholarships should be fair.
He said they had witnessed children whose parents were civil servants being given these scholarships while the underprivileged continued to suffer.
He said new laws should include equal opportunity for all regardless of status, religion, colour or ethnicity.