UNITECH Selection: Schools Ranked By Number of School Leavers Selected

The University of Technology (UNITECH) has done a great job of letting parents and sponsors know who was accepted into the university. They released the list of accepted students quickly. This shows that UNITECH is committed to making the admission process smooth.

UNITECH also did a good job of selecting students from a variety of schools. They accepted almost 500 students from 95 different schools. This shows that UNITECH is open to students from all over the country.

UNITECH recognized the top 10 schools that produced the most accepted students. They also recognized Menyamya and Okapa Secondary Schools for sending two students each to UNITECH. This shows that UNITECH appreciates the good work of these schools.

To learn more about the selection process and the results of the Grade 12 exams, you can read the latest post on DHERST Selections. The post also includes a table that shows how many students were accepted from each school.

No. of Students Selected	Schools	Ranked by No. of Stds Selected		No. of Students Selected	Schools	Ranked by No. of Stds Selected
51	Sogeri National High	1
47	Port Moresby National High	2		2	Ecom Secondary	53
29	Lae Secondary	3		2	Anglimp Secondary	53
26	Hagen Park Secondary	4		2	AOG Secondary	53
23	Mt Hagen Secondary	5		2	Arawa Secondary	53
21	Goroka Secondary	6		2	Grace Memorial Secondary	53
20	Wawin National High	7		2	Hoskins Secondary	53
18	Kerevat National High	8		2	Ialibu Secondary	53
16	Aiyura National High	9		2	Kimbe IEA High	53
12	Gordon Secondary	10		2	Kitip Secondary	53
12	Kopen Secondary	10		2	Laloki Secondary	53
10	Jubilee Secondary	12		2	Menyamya Secondary	53
10	Busu Secondary	12		2	Mesauka Seconday	53
8	Bishop Wade (Tarlena	14		2	Okapa Secondary	53
8	St Joseph's International Catholic College	14		2	Paglum Adventist Secondary	53
8	Wabag Secondary	14		2	Rosary Secondary	53
8	Marianville Secondary	14		2	St Xavier's Secondary	53
7	Mendi Secondary	18		2	Tari Secondary	53
7	Kerowagi Secondary	19		2	Togoba Secondary	53
7	Wabag Secondary	19		2	Utu Secondary	53
6	Gerehu Secondary	19		2	Vunabosco Agro-Technical Sec.	53
6	Port Moresby International High	19		2	Wabag Secondary	53
				2	Kabiufa Secondary	53
5	Benabena Secondary	23		2	Kimbe IEA High	53
5	Highlands Lutheran International	23		2	Kitip Secondary	73
5	Kila Kila Secondary	23		1	Jiwaka Christian Grammar Secondary	73
5	Malala Secondary	23		1	Cameron Secondary	73
5	Muaina Secondary	23		1	Kagua Secondary	73
				1	Kainantu Tech. Secondary	73
5	Yauwe Moses Secondary	23		1	Karkar Secondary	73
4	Bumayong Secondary	31		1	Dregerhafen Secondary	73
4	De La Salle Secondary	31		1	Kimbe Secondary	73
4	Fr Peter  Secondary	31		1	Iarowari Secondary	73
4	Mogol Secondary	31		1	Kiunga Secondary	73
4	Port Moresby Grammar	31		1	Kwikila Secondary	73
4	St Paul's Lutheran Secondary	31		1	Kwip Dau Secondary	73
4	Tusbab Secondary	31		1	Lihir Secondary	73
4	Tusbab Secondary	31		1	Magarima Secondary	73
				1	Maprik Secondary	73
4	Don Bosco Technical Sec.	31		1	Markham Valley Secondary	73
3	Bugandi Secondary	40		1	Mt Wilhelm Sercondary	73
3	Coronation International High	40		1	OLSH Secondary	73
3	Asaroka Luth. Secondary	40		1	PNG Paradise Secondary	73
3	Goroka Secondary	40		1	Popondetta Secondary	73
3	Gumine Secondary	40		1	St Gabriel Technical Secondary	73
3	Minj Secondary	40		1	St Michael Brahman Secondary	73
3	Notre Dame Secondary	40
3	Passam National High	40		1	Waghi Valley Secondary	73
3	St Ignatius' Secondary	40		1	Wapenamanda Foursquare Secondary	73
3	Tokarara Secondary	40		1	Wesley Secondary	73
3	Utmei Secondary	40		1	Yangoru Secondary	73
Summary: 495 school leavers selected from 95 schools in the country

Exam Cheats Cheated: Tertiary Institutions To Do Quality Check

Widespread cheating in examinations in recent years has compromised not only the quality of education but also the quality of students passing through the education system and into the workforce. It is a serious development issue.

Here are some records of cheating:

     Specific example of cheating, 2015

     Posts on Exam Cheats

National Department of Education's Measurement Service Board

This year, 2016, the government (through the National Department of Education's Measurement Service Board conducted a nationwide review of the examination process; to ascertain loopholes and recommend ways to stop students from cheating in examinations. The MSB did a good job with it. Have the measures MSB took to stop cheating worked? Probably, yes but not conclusive. 

The National Newspaper reported Asaroka Secondary School students bought exam answer sheets, only to have realised after the exams that the answer sheets were fake. Cheats cheated. The cheaters have got to be stopped from entering higher learning institutions. They are a waste of space.

[Please note that the newspaper report of the riot was not true. No riot had occurred at Asaroka Secondary School after the grade 12 examination according to the school principal in a Post Courier report] 

Indicatively the stoppage measures taken by the MSB may have worked. No reports of actual exam papers or answer sheets were floating around before the exams, unlike in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Given that MSB and the education department were criticised for being too complacent as far as cheating was concerned in recent years, they should equally be complemented this year. 

Well done Exam Review Committee 2016 and MSB.

These cheats are not going to have easy access to tertiary institutions. For example, the University of Technology has taken measures to stop cheaters from entering this prestigious institution. Prospective students wanting to attend UNITECH have sat an entry exam online. 

By making delivery of exam papers and answer sheets safe and secure and tertiary institutions (like UNITECH), 'standing at the entry gate and saying - no we don't want rotten apples in our institutions'  is practising quality check. The check makes the institution prestigious: admired and respected. 

Quality checks on students from the start of student admittance into any institution will stop both cheaters and those trying to bribe their way in. All higher learning institutions must do the background check, whether it be entry test (usually taken before admittance) or check on students' internal assessment marks (with secondary schools' academic principals) or other checks. It is about ensuring that hardworking student gets the place he/she deserves. This is justifiable, it is the right thing to do. 

REVIEW OF TUITION FEE-FREE EDUCATION POLICY IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA: INSPECTORS AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS PIVOTAL

Challenges of implementing a free education policy have been many. Political will and funding are among the top issues, including education department’s capacity to monitor and evaluate the policy. From 2012 to 2016, the government’s commitment to implementation of Tuition Fee-Free Education (TFFE) policy has been better than the other attempts in 1981, 1993 and 2002. In addition, funding commitment was consistent and the amount committed to implementing the TFFE policy set the bench-mark for any future governments wanting to implement the free education policy.

On the contrary, there were many challenges faced between 2012 and 2016. TFFE policy framework lacked detail from the beginning, though there were guides like the TFFE Manual 2012 to show attempts have been made to establish some control mechanisms. In fact, details of monitoring and evaluating was lacking and therefore a major obstacle to the success the policy both in the past and present.

For example the School Learning and Improvement Plans (SLIP) which is the key for knowing what has actually transpired on the ground (in schools), as far as accounting for TFFE spending was concerned, remained obscure.  By this I mean, the school inspectors (call them standard officers) and district administrators (DA) played an important role to not only maintain standard, but also improve standard. 

The inspectors and  DAs are a link between schools and department of education and this link is vital for monitoring school operations and providing accurate reports required by the Tuition Fee-Free Secretariat of the National Department of Education. And therefore, the standard officers and DAs not monitoring SLIP (school population, development plans, head teachers’ spending, etc.…) have a negative impact on the. overall monitoring and reporting of TFFE policy. Their roles are pivotal to whether the government gets an accurate report or not.

One could argue that the SLIP does not correlate to TFFE policy and its implementation, and the school inspectors and DAs have little to do with the school yearly plans. This is not true. The school yearly plan (SLIP) tells you all you need to know before releasing the government’s fund to a school; monitoring it on a regular basis; and reporting it as and when required. In brief, strictly monitoring SLIP gives you the ability to meet the challenges and limitations of implementing the TFFE policy.

Is it too late to talk about the TFFE policy? Well, the question of continuation of the policy is sketchy as are the election results post 2017 elections – no one knows what happens until it happens. So, we never know. But what we know is that the current government TFFE policy continued for the last five years – no government is the past has done that. It is an achievement. Nevertheless, there are many challenges.

Perhaps it is important to know that who (or which party) forms the government after 2017 election is NOT important. What is important is that EDUCATION, must, remain number one. The new government has to plan to ensure key stakeholders like the school inspectors and DAs perform their roles effectively. Also the new government must identify the KEY INDICATORS needed addressing within the education system, and address them properly from the beginning.

I have written extensively about the Tuition Fee-Free policy since its inception in successive years. The screen shots are the Abstract and Content pages of an academic paper I wrote for a post graduate study. The paper reviews three governments efforts in the past, compares it to the current government attempts and discusses 4 recommendations needed going forward.

An updated version of this paper  now available. You can download the Tuition Fee Free Education Policy in PNG PDF. Email me on info@pnginsight.com 

Declaimer: All attempts have been made to ascertain the factuality of information presented in this academic paper. Please, let the writer know if there is anything you wish to point out in the comment section. You can use the Contact Form or Twitter (Follow @PNG_Insight).