The Fijian Elections Office (FEO), through its Institute of Democracy and Electoral Education (IDEE), today 08 July, 2026 launched the Political Parties Youth Module Pilot Programme. The programme is designed to strengthen youth’s understanding of political parties and democratic participation in Fiji.
Speaking at the opening of the programme, Supervisor of Elections, Ms Ana Mataiciwa, said the Political Parties course is part of a pilot initiative and is still in the development stage.
“It is still in the early stage of development, and your participation and feedback will directly shape how it’s refined and improved before any wider rollout. This course has been developed with support from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), drawing on elements of International IDEA’s Youth Democracy Academy and related civic education modules,” Ms Mataiciwa said.
The course is designed to build a clearer understanding of political parties as key institutions in a representative democracy, how they function, why they matter, and how citizens can engage meaningfully with them.
This is not a standalone initiative, as the FEO and IDEE are developing a broader suite of civic education modules, which will include future on democracy and democratic principles, the constitution of Fiji, elections and electoral processes, and local government and civic participation.
A key objective is to help bridge the gap among school-based civic learning, first-time voters entering the electoral system, and those who may be interested in becoming candidates or in becoming more actively involved in political and public life.”
The Fijian Elections Office is also actively exploring options for structured training pathways, including collaboration with higher education institutions to accredit these learning programmes in the future.
The Supervisor of Elections reiterated that the participants’ contributions are valuable, as they are deliberately seeking participants’ input at this stage to ensure the content reflects the realities, needs, and expectations of young people in Fiji.
Caption: Supervisor of Elections Ms Ana Mataiciwa (Centre) with participants of the Political Parties Youth Module Pilot Programme.
