As children throughout the Pacific have settled back into the school year, their teachers are also taking the opportunity to go back to the classroom, as Just Play training courses are rolled out throughout the region for 2025.

Just Play is a Football for Good programme aimed at primary school aged children that promotes learning through play, integrating messages of health, gender equality, social inclusion, safeguarding, play and physical activity through active and fun participation in football.

In Fiji, a particular focus has been on the gender equality curriculum, which uses football to promote gender equality and change perceptions of women amongst participants and in their communities.

The training took place in Fiji’s Western Division at host school and previous Just Play programme member Nalovo Sangam Primary School. Teachers from Savusavu Public School, Nabila Public School, Tau Primary, Nawai Primary, Malamala Primary, Ratu Nemani Primary, Uciwai Primary, all of whom had not participated in Just Play before, also attended.

The curriculum training covered topics such as gender identity, gender roles, relationship development, boundary setting, programme monitoring and evaluation, and Sport 2 Life skills and language. Participants were also joined by UN Women’s Shabina Khan on the first day of the course, who shared insights on gender equality.

Just Play instructor Iliaseri Vonovono spoke about the importance and potential for impact of the Just Play gender equality curriculum.

“It is very important that children have this knowledge with them at a very young age, so that once they grow up they have this knowledge with them,” said Vonovono.

“What I enjoyed the most about attending this three-day course training is that I get to share this knowledge with the teachers, who will go back to their respective schools and they will run [the Just Play programme] with the children. At the end of the day, it is the children that will benefit.”

One of those teachers is year 7 teacher Rahul Rinesh Chand, from Nalovo Sangam Primary School, himself a former player and coach. The perception shift he experienced on the course exemplifies the power of Just Play, and the impact it can have on the communities it’s delivered in.

“I’ve learnt a lot, especially [about] gender equality,” he explains.

“Our perception was that girls can’t play soccer, and boys can only play soccer. But now we understand that both boys and girls can play.”

Photo credit: Fiji FA Just Play Media

OFC’s Just Play is a Football for Good programme that promotes learning through play, integrating messages of health, gender equality, social inclusion, safeguarding, play and physical activity through active and fun participation in football. The programme has reached close to 500,000 children aged 6–18 years across the Pacific since it was founded in 2009.

In 2025 Just Play is being delivered in Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. The programme is made possible with the support of our partners Australian Aid, Team Up, UEFA Foundation for Children, UNICEF and UN Women.