About 80 per cent of Fiji's population live within five kilometres of the coast and depend on the ocean for their livelihood. The ocean not only provides food for the family it is also a source of income for many.
But while the importance of the ocean is a significant one for a family's survival, experts have noted how the school curriculum does not have much on the issue.
"There is only a very small portion in Social Science but it did not address the issue of marine awareness or marine conservation and other pathways in eco -tourism," said senior education officer Eci Naisele.
"Many students need to gain skills to enable them to generate an income in their local community otherwise it would result in more poverty."
So the Ministry of Education with the assistance of AusAID has implement a practical Marine Studies course through the Vocational program in secondary schools with the hope of providing youths with employment related skills and pathways to further education.
Technical Vocational Education and Training advisor Donald de Klerk who is also with the Fiji Education Sector Program, an AusAID initiative, said that after discussions and scoping with stakeholders on what was available in Fiji for vocational students other than the traditional courses like carpentry, joinery and automotive.
He said they came up with three new programs which included the hospitality course which was introduced at Nadi College in 2006; forestry course introduced in Lakeba, Lau in 2007 and this year the marine course has just been piloted at Vunisea Secondary School in Kadavu.
De Klerk said after the first two programs they looked at the ocean because it was a very valuable resource for Fiji.
"But it obviously was not explored to the extent that we thought, so we did a lot of research and looked at what were the these two purposes to this course because all these pathways have two objectives that either lead to further education or employment," he said.
"So for further employment we did a survey and visited islands like Taveuni, Gau, Kadavu and Macuata areas and had a look at the potential opportunity available locally. We also talked with Fisheries and did a survey with dive operators in Fiji and were able to see a lot of job opportunities.
"And even in the diving industry, one said they were going to take two of our graduates every year."
He said some could find jobs with the Fisheries Department as fish wardens or go further to the Fiji Institute of Technology for a fisheries course and become fisheries officers.
Some could do surveys because NGOs like WWF would need skilled people to carry out surveys on reefs, marine protected areas and the ocean.
Others who want to take up local opportunities for subsistence can set up their own fishing business, work on fish farms or boat crew.
And in the tourism industry they will learn to dive or become snorkelling and fishing guides because there is no course available in Fiji.
"And in boating skills, people have no formal training so they could learn about the dangers and techniques to make it safer," he said.
AusAID is providing technical support and financial support of $42,000 worth of equipment and services.
"Vunisea was chosen as the pilot school and if successful because they have to be monitored and evaluated then we can replicate them in other schools," said de Klerk.
"When we visited Kadavu, we found boat building was also a need in that area and that is why it was added to this course. They are now learning how to build a 23-foot fibreglass boat and we also put teachers through training.
"We also found they needed courses in small engine repairs and fixing fibreglas boats. The course will be modulised and students could just come in and just do that module and it's designed for youths that exited the formal school system between the ages of 16 -24 years. They could do this and they could also complete the whole course which will be a vocational Certificate in Marine Studies.
"The students will learn to survey and manage an MPA working very closely with the community. Traditional fishing skills will be also introduced as the Ministry of Education is linked with Culture and Heritage so they will learn the traditional way of fishing techniques.
"We have a subject on risk, reef conservation and restoration and also marine tourism and managing waste in resorts. They will also look at marine resource utilisation so once they catch the fish in a sustainable manner they can utilise that in a proper way especially in preservation techniques like smoking, other preservation and maybe seaweed cultivation and aquaculture as well," he said.
The first two subjects will be on marine ecology and marine conservation and restoration and they will underpin the knowledge required for these practical courses.
"This will be a very practical course and it is designed to be hands on and not very theoretical and we do not want them to come out and be a marine biologist by any means because we want them to have some very good hands - on practical skills, like how can they make a boat, repair, drive a boat and how they can jump into the ocean and look after the ocean while they are catching fish when using these valuable resources."
The Ministry of Education with the consultation of USP's Institute of Applied Sciences, FIT, Fisheries, and SPC determined the course structure. Partnership also includes FLMMA and Partners in Community Development, local provincial councils, Peace Corps and several dive centres.
USP has prepared the curriculum and developed five modules:
l Marine Ecology (70% theory and 30% practical;
l Some of the students who recently enrolled in the marine course offered at Vunisea Secondary School in Kadavu. Marine conservation and restoration (20% theory, 80 % practical);
l Eco-tourism (20% theory, 80 % practical);
l Marine resource utilisation (post harvest) (20% theory, 80% practical);
l Diving and fishing skills (10% theory, 90% practical).
Naisele said the course would only be offered to maritime schools.
Kadavu was chosen because it is a government school, with the involvement of FLMMA and the island's strategic plan for 2007-2011 has strong links to sustainable natural resources and management through education.
Also accessibility to the island to help in monitoring and evaluation and there is a fisheries department and an ice station.
Kadavu has 44 MPAs, the nearest to the school will be used for survey and local hotels which are very supportive and would be used for work attachment.
He said they hoped to enroll 15 to 20 students and at the end of the course they could have a certificate, a diploma or maybe one could graduate with a degree in Marine Biology from USP. The module will be finalised before the end of the year and will start properly as of 2009 and will probably be a 18 months to 2-year-course.
Note: Ms Nakeke is an Ocean Science Reporter with SeaWeb. SeaWeb is a non government organisation that helps the media promote a healthy ocean.