Growth, A Challenge Turned - Papua New Guinea National Education Plan

To make progress in a changing world, the education system has to evolve and adapt to social, demographic, technological and other modern changes. Reforming the education system was one way to adapt to these changes.

Papua New Guinea National Education Plan

Papua New Guinea National Education Plan 2005 to 2014 was an important document. It encompassed the development phases of elementary, primary, secondary and technical education in detail. It was a 10-year working plan, thoroughly outlined to guide every stakeholder involved in giving and receiving educational services.

The aims and time-frame for achieving each outcome was clearly indicated in a 148-page document. Challenges identified by the working committee have remained the same to this day. 

Why were those challenges not addressed according to the timeline? What made it so difficult? 

Growth, Quality, Financing, Maintainable and Management.

There were (are) 5 main challenges: Growth, Quality, Financing, Maintainable and Management.

Lets start with the first challenge. 

The NEP 2005 - 2014 working committee realised that retention of students population between elementary and secondary schools was challenging. This was recorded in the Situation Analysis report:

….improving retention through the years of basic education; improving the delivery of education services in rural and remote areas; strengthening the vocational education and training sector to support appropriate courses to make better use of partnerships with the private sector and community agencies, and securing adequate government budget support for the reform to manage the enrollment growth. [NEP 2005 – 2014, Situation Analysis pp 21 – 37]. 

PNG Education reform and retention problems

By 2005, the Reform would have been implemented for 12 years. There were two retention problems - students pulling out (those leaving the school at their own will between elementary and secondary school) and students dropping out (those leaving after examination at Grades 8, 10 and 12). Controlling the earlier problem was documented. 

But, the latter was not. The WB and working knew maintaining school attendance was going to be tough. What they didn't foresee was the increase in the number of students who would have actually left at the end of Grades 10 and 12.

Any responsible government would have seen the need to prepare universities and colleges to accommodate students at the end of their examination years. That was where successive PNG governments have failed, and continue to fail their young citizens. 

When is retention likely to improve? Perhaps Papua New Guineans who are supposed to advise successive governments on policy matters failed the people. Maybe the WB could have looked at things differently at the beginning of Education Reform.

National education system cannot sustain a growing population

The fact of the matter is that two decades later, the national education system cannot sustain a growing population. 

The Education Reform created a bottled neck effect. Though insignificant during the early Reform days, this effect has had a big generational impact 22 years later. 

The strain on the system is shocking when only 1 in 5 Grade 12 students makes it to a tertiary institution. 

It is reasonable to maintain a good flow of students from one stage to another. What happens to 80% of young men and women? Why didn't any development take place at the tertiary level?  Apparently, a World Bank [WB] condition restrained any growth at tertiary institutions. This was clearly indicated in a press release from Australian National University. 

In part, it reads “… The World Bank, for example, in the mid-1990s, was prepared to support only development projects that targeted universal basic education and would not entertain forms of assistance at the tertiary level of education.”

PNG government was bowing to WB. 

Instead of developing the whole system, it created lots of elementary, primary and secondary schools all over the country, without any expansion at the higher level to absorb the output. 

In fact, any chance of growth in higher education was stalled as a direct result of the WB condition given as shown in the ANU report.

After 2 decades of the Reform and the result is there for all to see. There are only 4500 spaces at tertiary institutions today. Of the 21430 Grade 12 students, over 16000 will be ejected from formal tertiary education. This is real, it is frightening. 

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I would like to make it clear that this article does not intend to throw the egg on the government, or WB or education officials. It simply questions why government ignore a challenge identified in the National Education Plan 2005 to 2014.
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Oh, How I Wish These Days Are Better Than The 1980s

Successive governments have done their best to deliver much needed service to every citizen. From Sir Michael Somare to Peter O’Neill, Papua New Guinea has seen many changes in politics, economics, social, education, health, Law and Justice and many other sectors.

Compared to the mid-1970s, have the changes been better? Children who grew up in the late 1970s and early 1980s would beg to differ in opinion as far as changes are concerned. In fact, the democratically elected governments at the National, Provincial and Local levels have served well. Public servants played their roles by meeting people's demand for service.

Services to communities were effectively administered locally by Aid Post Orderly, primary school teachers, local police men, village court magistrates, peace and good order committee and district administrators.

This was a time when public service took pride in their jobs. I remember our local APO - a good man. He served 4 villages with dignity and humanity. He would walk 3 hours to the nearest health centre to procure get medical supply, every month. He sometimes sent his boys who would take us along with them.

Teaching would commence at day one of academic year. Lesson planning would be evident in delivery of lessons. We learnt to read and write fairly well before reaching Grade 3. By then, our handwriting, memorsing times-table and reading were better than any grade 3 today. At the age of 9, I started writing letters to my dad. Teachers at the village 'community' school taught us well.

I bet this is what many who are attending 'primary' schools could not do today. Why? What went wrong along the way?

My grandpa was village court magistrate. He solved problems and made referrals when (and where) needed to district court. Law and Order existed in the village. Respect for village elders was obvious.

The early years where the best days for a child to grow up in the village. Everything needed was there - security, food, school, family, kids' play and good life. All.

I am sure you will have your story if your childhood was same as mine. Those were the days. Life was good.

Oh, I wish these days are better!

MORE Early 70s/80s Photos of Papua New Guinea CLICK HERE

National Education Plan 2015 - 2019 Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world

As PNG looks forward to another 5-year National Education Plan, NEP 2015 – 2019, over 21000 grade 12 graduates are competing for one of the 4500 places at tertiary institutions nationwide.  Where will 80% of these young men and women go? What is their future? How do we arm them with the 'most powerful weapon' - EDUCATION after grade 12?

NEP 2005 – 2014 clearly outlined specific recommendations (and ways) to achieve its goals. The vision was clear. I will pinpoint certain areas where government and National Department of Education (NDoE) should have done right in articles (II) – (IV).

This article gives an introductory remark on way forward in next 10 years by looking at why Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”



His words are relevant in PNG now.

This great man gave his speech during his first visit to the US after his release from 27 years imprisonment. In the early 1990 many students dropped out of school. That was why he stressed the importance of school and education. He wanted to get the message to every student - young man and woman who was present that time.

He also said “This [students dropping out from school] is a very disturbing situation, because the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow,” he told the students . He urged students to “try as much as possible to remain in school.”

The message was clear: he gave it at the right time to the right audience. Many students present took the message in.  Here is one example.

Papua New Guinea education planners need to get this message in, too. Education consultants, researchers, NDoE secretary and time wasters at the department must get their heads together.

This isn’t a time for planning as it may seem. It is time for planning and implementing a new (or adjusted) 10-year vision.

The words of Mandela rings through to this day when over 80% of Grade 12s do not have a place in higher educational institutions. It is time to create National Education Plan that encompasses not only the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), BUT also relevant to PNG.

Why not start by addressing high dropout rate? Look no further than do what needed done is the best way forward.

What are some success stories of women in business and leadsership in PNG

Women's representation in politics has done 3 steps back. During her time there was talk about creating seats for 22 women reps. This was received with mixed feelings, yet there was good support from male MPs. 

The 2022 National Election is going to be an interesting one for women candidates. It would be nice to see more women back in politics.

The 2012 to 2017 parliament had 3 sitting female MPs. The situation for women and girls may have stayed the same in Papua New Guinea. But, the situation for woman leaders was NOT represented well by those 3 women MPs. It has deteriorated, don't you think? 

This was obvious from the number of women returning to parliament in the 2017 elections. 0

Former Woman MP Delilah Gore 2012 - 2017

For example, MP Delilah Gore's recent alleged spending of the department's K17000 and siding with Arore to oust Governor Juffa is a black mark on her reputation, including woman leaders. 

Remember the Air Niugini incident - Yu Save Lo Mi - comment. That was directed at a younger woman. The good things she may have done in her term as minister often goes unnoticed when such an incident hits headline news. Tough.

Former Woman MP Loujaya Toni 2012 - 2017

Take a look at MP for Lae, Loujaya Toni. A few months after her election to the parliament her marriage broke down. Even, as a Melanesian woman leader where simplicity is gold, she does not give the impression of a contemporary PNG woman leader. Or, does she?

The same can be said of male politicians, but the outcome is often different. That is a shame but it is the reality. I only wish there is a right balance when it comes to women vs men politicians in PNG.

Google pictures

Former Woman MP Julie Soso

What about the Governor of EHP, does she portray a mirrored image a young girl could reflect? Julie Soso can be described as a Melanesian woman. However, as the governor, there is more to be desired of her. She has never done better than Mal Kela Smith or Feti Lafanama. 

Goroka Town has not got back the image of the 80s -  beautiful and clean. Pigs are roaming the market. Pickpockets are everywhere in town. Shantytowns extended from Genoka to Banana Block and everywhere. 

This is the same for the current male governor. He builds the Goroka market but the pigs are still roaming the town. Ominously, the market is not opened yet! The male politicians are NOT better than their female counterparts, but their chance of being re-elected is high. Not fair at all. 

Women Politicians Can Chance Public Opinions

Those 3 women leaders CAN change public opinion on women leaders in the country. They failed miserably in this regard.

But there are great women leaders and powerful women politicians in the history of politics in PNG. Dame Josephine Abaija and Dame Carol Kidu are two that came to mind, you can name the others. 

These are shining examples of PNG women in politics. Personally, I think women will NOT be great leaders in Parliament, in fact, they will be EXCELLENT leaders.

Come 2022 elections, PNG need to vote in more women leaders - that is for sure. Strong women who can stand tall and proud and represent the nation. 

Women who are hardworking, firm and direct.

Former Woman MP Dame Carol Kidu 2007 - 2017 (resigned)

I still have lots of respect for Dame Kidu. She showed how a woman can make a difference. 

Her contribution is notable. In addition, Dame Kidu topped her career off by being the only opposition leader and the only member of the opposition (PHOTO ABOVE). 

She stood against male idiocy in parliament. She is forever to be remembered as one woman opposition. 

PNG needs powerful woman leaders and politicians like Dame Carol Kidu!