2022 PNG elections electoral common roll update - TIPNG PRESS RELEASE

TIPNG AIRS CONCERNS OVER ELECTION READINESS, PROVINCIAL ELECTION STEERING COMMITTEES, AND ONGOING DELAYS TO PNG ELECTORAL ROLL UPDATE 

With the PNG Electoral Roll Update exercise further deferred to December 2021 and January 2022, Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) is now calling the PNG Electoral Commission (PNGEC) and the 22 Provincial Administrations across PNG to urgently establish active Provincial Election Steering Committees (PESCs). Proper arrangements need to be put in place now to avoid the risk of excluding a large segment of unregistered and first-time voters wanting to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming 2022 National General Elections. 

TIPNG has carried out provincial election awareness and community outreach and when in the various provinces has learned that with only 20 weeks remaining before the scheduled issue of writs for the 2022 National Elections, a majority of provinces have yet to establish functioning PESCs. 

According to Section 3 of the PNGEC terms of reference for Provincial Elections Steering Committees, PESCs are established for the purpose of “building local capacity and coordinating resources across government to assist the PNGEC in planning and delivery of the elections in the province, including electoral roll maintenance and community awareness.” Apart from key government departments within a province, a functioning PESC must also include at least one representative from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Chamber of Commerce, and Churches within the province. 

“The role of effective PESCs within the scope of national election coordination is absolutely crucial. It is very concerning to learn that with only five short months remaining before the issue of writs, many provinces are still a long way from where they need to be in terms of coordination and preparedness. Furthermore, the ongoing delay to the electoral roll update exercise is very concerning. More effective collaboration between government and other key community stakeholders is crucial if we are to deliver a successful election, and the PESC is currently the most effective framework for facilitating this collaboration,” said TIPNG Board Chair, Peter Aitsi. 

The effectiveness of the PESC model has been clearly demonstrated in examples such as the East New Britain (ENB) PESC. Which earlier this year identified the need for additional resources, and made arrangements to provide these resources through the Provincial Administration. ENB has since completed updating its provincial electoral roll and is now ready for the next phase of the National General Elections in 2022. Other provinces such as Milne Bay have now proposed the use of updated ward registry data to speed up the Electoral Roll update exercise within the province. 

“While the timeframe is less than ideal, we (TIPNG) believe that there are ways that we can make a comprehensive roll update possible. PESCs need to be a lot more active in convening and assessing the opportunities available to them in their respective provinces, and acting on these opportunities for the sake of our people. The conduct of the elections is not the sole responsibility of the PNGEC. We must all play our part and take ownership of this democratic process, to ensure a better future for our people and our communities,” Mr. Aitsi said.

Source:  TIPNG PRESS STATEMENT | WEDNESDAY 8th DECEMBER 2021 [Facebook]

PNG electoral roll update 2022
Image @ TIPNG FB page


Is removing Grades 8 and 10 exams a mistake?

The PNG Education Ministry and Education Department are embarking on a 10-year plan to address the growing number of students at schools and reduce the cost of educating them. 

First, let's be reminded of the past lessons:

Remember the curricular and education structural changes - SBC to OBE to SBC, and the 6-4-2 to 2-6-4 to 1-6-6?
These changes were unnecessary and a waste of time and money; and have long-term dominoe effects.

PNG Grade 8 and 10 exam results
Read my post-graduate work on Education and Development in PNG.

What is changing?

The education department has already planned to phase out - remove - the Grade 10 and 8 exams and introduce what is called the National Education Quality Assessment Testing

The details of this test are not clear. In fact, no one knows how to carry out this kind of large-scale assessment. It has never been done successfully at the Grade 8 and 10 levels, and how the Education Ministry and Education Department are going about it is sketchy. 

It is exactly the repeat of past years - the blind (Edu Ministry) leading the dumb (Edu Dept). Sorry to say this, but not sorry it's true.


Read the latest debate on this topic on PNG Insight here


Again, the PNG politicians, education ministers and senior education officials just need to look back and see the mistakes in the last 20 years (yes, in their lifetime) so that they do not repeat the same mistakes.

In this important change, the students will continue to Grade 12 without taking the normal/external exams in Grades 8 and 10. There'll be only 1 exam in Grade 12.

Changes are good, but why change an assessment that works fine? 

  • Just imagine if the SBC had not been changed in 1992/1993. The PNG education curriculum would have been far better than it is today.
  • What would the education structure be like if the 6-4-2 was not changed to 2-6-4?
Obviously, no one would be talking about changing them back if these changes had not taken place 25 years ago.

The two points are wishful thinking. The damage has been done. But we know there were people (Papua New Guineans in Politics and Education circles) who did not have the brains to say:

 'NO LET'S NOT CHANGE WHAT IS WORKING. LET'S IMPROVE IT'.

Is removing exams a mistake?

Removing examinations at Grade 8 and 10 is going to shake the foundation of the Education System in PNG, no doubt. 

The PNG government and the education advisors have got it wrong in the past. The 6-4-2 to 2-6-4 to the proposed 1-6-6 structural re-adjustment is one example of an unnecessary change. Another example of an unnecessary change in the curriculum change we saw lately, SBE to OBE to SBE.

There are many other changes that should not have happened in the FIRST PLACE. Removing a perfectly working examination at Grades 8 and 10 is a case of destroying what works well. 

As a country, we do not want to continue with it for some years and regret it.




Why remove exams at Grade 8 and 10?

The main reason is that the PNG government cannot effectively conduct exams - it just costs too much. Furthermore, there are too many students in schools dropping out at Grade 8 and Grade 10 - the government wants them to have a Grade 12 education. 

However, these are not good reasons to remove examinations (external assessments) and instead opt for classroom-based assessments. 

THIS CAN BE THE WORST MISTAKE!

You see, this kind of assessment will save the government money, but it is not as effective as it is intended to be. At present, the education department cannot rely on the internal assessment marks that schools sent to Waigani.

They need the external assessment, which is the Grade 8 and 10 exams.

Exams and Assessments

The parents and stakeholders need to know that the education department does *not* have to remove the exam and replace it with another assessment called the National Education Quality Assessment Testing

Both can work side by side. 

There are already these kinds of literacy and numeracy (L&N)  assessments at Grades 3, 5 and 7: in the Pacific, this assessment is called PILNA; in PNG, there is an assessment called CSMT; and in Australia, they have what is called NAPLAN. 

These are broad-based  (literacy and numeracy competency) assessments that run alongside the main examinations.

Though these external L&N assessments are different in design and purpose, they are fundamental pillars of measuring learning. 

Therefore, removing one and replacing it with another IS NOT the right thing to do!


What can you do?

This change will affect you and your children in 20 - 50 years. You have a responsibility to share this message and make sure everyone knows what is happening.

Talk about it now.

We cannot wait 20 years to realise it's too obvious and change things back.

Read the latest debate on this topic on PNG Insight here

Classroom assessments are NOT Exams

The PNG Education Ministry and Education Department are terrible at making changes. This change - removing Grades 8 and 10 exams - should be considered carefully.

All in all, the reasons for removing the exams do not justify the need to continue with the exams at Grades 8 and 10.

Exams are pillars of a 'sustainable' education system.
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