Education. Papua New Guinea press review
National Capital District (NCD) Governor Powes Parkop has welcomed the National Executive Council ‘s (NEC) decision to have education services in NCD come under the NCD Commission. According to Mr. Parkop, the Education Minister Joseph Yopyyopy would soon make a formal announcement about the decision. «The teaching and learning environment is still substandard and we can make a lot of difference and change so that we give our children and teachers a better learning and teaching environment, » – said Mr. Parkop and also added his plans to improve education services in NCD would be announced as soon as the transfer was done».
However, Pomio (East New Britain) MP Elias Kapavore also said that he’s focusing on delivering quality education to children in his electorate. According to Pomio MP’s statement, his district was the least developed in East New Britain but comprised of three-quarters of province’s total land area.
«Despite the district’s challenging geography, being host to more than three-quarters of the land mass in East New Britain, my district is focused on quality education outcomes,» – said Mr. Kapavore. In addition, Kapavore said the Incentive Fund supported the construction of eight classrooms and four science laboratories for Palmalmal Secondary School in 2019. Moreover, Pomio Development Authority (PDA) committed K1.5 million (US$437 thousand) for a new double classroom with science laboratories at Warangoi Secondary School which was commissioned this year. Kapavore donated 80 chairs and tables to the school bought from the discretionary fund.
As Papua New Guinea media report, Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti has a right vision for Education in the province, where a number of new schools established during Wingti’s term are in operation and most school-aged students access basic education.
It is noted, however, that the challenge on the ground is the quality aspect: there are insufficient teaching and learning materials particularly science laboratory materials (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) that can be used by qualified science teachers to demonstrate in parallel to the theoretical knowledge taught. There’s a lack of specialist teachers in English, Mathematics and Science, Social Science. Unlike primary school teachers, secondary schools require qualified subject content educators to effectively plan, write termly programmes and actually teach lessons.
https://www.thenational.com.pg/focus-on-quality-education-2/