English was his second language, and he had grown up in modest circumstances, attending a remote, rural primary school. It was only in his final year that the school opened a library and appointed a librarian to oversee its odd assortment of donated – and largely irrelevant – books. “I was not brought up in a culture of reading to improve my English language skills, so my primary education was not on a par with other students.”
His high school was much better resourced, but there young Prash faced a different kind of disadvantage. “The rule was that we had to speak in English, and I struggled to communicate. This made the prospect of university very challenging because all instruction and assessment at Fijian tertiary institutions is in English.”
Fortunately, Prash befriended proficient English-speaking students and learnt fast. He went on to complete university studies in business and accounting before working as an internal auditor, but that career simply didn’t add up. Soon, he was working for a language institute and completing a Graduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics and then a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language. He taught linguistics for 10 years at the Fiji National University, before the opportunity arose to undertake his PhD in Australia.
“All this time, I saw students with less access to academic resources performing poorly in their English-language university environments. They were supposed to have been taught in English in their primary schools, but many didn’t have even basic English language skills. I started to see the relationship between social inequity and educational equity, and decided I wanted to do something about it.”
His recently published (fourth) book, based on Prash’s UNE research, paints a stark picture of this disadvantage. It considers the colonial history, resource imbalances and social disparities that shape academic performance, particularly among undergraduate students who need solid English language and writing abilities to achieve qualifications. And he also recommends solutions for Fiji and other nations.
Reviewer Ravnil Narayan, a lecturer in applied linguistics at the Fiji National University said: “Through his contributions, Dr Goundar not only amplifies the voices of underrepresented students but also challenges longstanding structures of disadvantage, making his book an essential resource for all committed to fostering social justice in language education in Fiji.”
Prash certainly hopes the book will spark discussion, become a valuable resource for educators, and possibly even feed into policy changes as the Fijian Ministry of Education reviews its curriculum.
“Growing up, I was laughed at when I pronounced or used a word incorrectly. I want students from rural or under-resourced schools to have equal opportunities to succeed in university. Language should be accessible to everyone and learning opportunities need to be inclusive and equitable.”
Image: (left to right) Goundar siblings Krish, Divya and Prash on their way to Shri A.D Patel Memorial Primary School in Fiji in 1999.
The recipient of a Research and Training Program International scholarship, Prash moved to Armidale in 2022 and is now a Graduate Research Academic at UNE. He has slowly adjusted to its climate and appreciates the many friends he has made during the past three years, “who are like family now”.
