NEW INTAKES SELECTION LIST AVAILABLE - Press Statement DHERST

The Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) is delighted to provide the complete list of the Grade 12 school leavers who have been selected through the Online Selection System to registered tertiary institutions for the 2018 academic year is listed below. This is the complete list and it is available on the DHERST website.

Check out the latest post on DHERST Selections and Grade 12 results here.

With the inaugural use of the Online Selection System, a total of 12,234 students have been allocated to a study program (47% of the 25,848 who applied).  

All students with a GPA of 2.3 and above that met respective GPA and subject related entry requirements were allocated space within a Higher Education Institution (HEI). First and Second Preferences indicated by the Grade 12 School Leavers were used to allocate a place at a HEI while GPA and subject related entry requirements were used for ranking of the selection list. 

All other Grade 12 School Leavers that selected the option to be considered for alternate offers were allocated space in the program to which they exclusively met the entry requirement and also to which additional space was available.

New intakes from this list will receive admissions offer letter or notice from Universities and their respective tertiary institution. 

We also would like to advise the public that one institution initially provided the DHERST with incorrect student quota. The institution overestimated its own capacity hence it will enroll less students.   

Note that this list is not a Tertiary Education Scholarship Assistance Scheme (TESAS) awards list. The DHERST will inform all TESAS awardees through separate offer letters. Any selected student who does not receive a TESAS offer letter from DHERST should consider himself/herself to be a self-sponsored student.

Any offers given outside of theOnline Selection Systemwill not be considered for national scholarship (TESAS).

Should you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Lenita Mike on the phone 301 2078, email Lenita.Mike@dherst.gov.pg or Shirley Isaiah on 301 2087, email Shirley.Isaiah@dherst.gov.pg.

This selection would not be possible without the commitment of our Universities and other Higher Education Institution as well as the staff at the DHERST and our partner PCG Academia a company that successfully serves higher education sectors in the USA, Canada, Europe and now PNG. I sincerely thank you all for your collaboration and assistance offered.

I would very much appreciate if Universities and other Higher Education Institutions could provide their input by end of March 2018 on how we could further improve on the selection processes and the most important what additional criteria your Institution would like to add to this software. Thus, next year we will provide you with better services. Please forward your input to the Deputy Secretary Operation Mr Steven Matainaho on this email: Steven.Matainaho@dherst.gov.pg or  steven.matainaho@icloud.com

I take this opportunity to wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a fulfilling New Year. May the light of Christmas give you love, peace and happiness. 

God Bless Papua New Guinea!

Pila NININGI 

Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology

Petrol Price: 10 Percent Increase Early 2018 to K3.50 Per Litre, Port Moresby

Petrol price has increased by 7.27% in 5 months to December 2017. The increase may have looked small, but it isn't. Here is how much less petrol a customer gets since September 2017 - 2 Litres *less* on a full tank refilled.

At the current trend,  petrol users are likely to pay a 10% increase as early as January 2018. The table shows the price of petrol between September and December from a Service Station in Port Moresby. *Prices are based on actual receipts, dated.

January 2018 petrol price based on the average increase projected

Petrol price was fairly stable in September, but started increasing on the second week of October. 

The bar graph shows the exponential increase of over 7% between September and December 2017 and 9% to January 2018.

In fact, when a consumer refills petrol in December, (and at 7% increase), they get  70 millilitres *less* for every Litre of petrol (bought at K3.432 per Litre) compared to the September and 10th October 2017 price (K3.195 per Litre). That means that:

• For 10 Litres of petrol, consumers get 700 mL *less*;
•  A near-full tank of approximately 30 Litres, the customers get 2100 mL *less*, that is 2.1 L less!

By January next year consumers are likely to pay K3.50 per Litre of petrol - the highest petrol price. And, users will realise how less petrol they get. K3.50 is a conservative estimate.

There is a need to find out why the price is increasing and whether the increases (in October, November and December) have been monitored. 

Online Maths Games for Kids and Toddlers

Giving children an early start in education is every parent's wish. Many studies have supported the fact that preparing children early - before they start school - sets the foundation for future success in school.

For keen parents wanting to give their children a better start, there are many educational programs (and smartphone apps) available for free; as well as those that are purchasable. 

But, knowing the right option, age-appropriate for younger children can be a hassle. 

This post identifies one highly recommended learning program for children - Reading Eggs.

Source: Reading Eggs

Online Maths Games for Kids and Toddlers

The Reading Eggs is a fun-filled educational software for children ages 3 years old to 13 years old. 

Parents of children who've used the software have seen *significant* improvement in their children's ability to read and write and learn about numbers.

Why Reading Eggs?

The Maths Factor is another learning program available, but I am also a fan of the Reading Eggs. One of the best features of Reading Eggs is the *Reward*. 

The Reading Eggs reward system motivates kids to keep exploring and learning.  My kids have used it since they were 3 years old – fantastic learning program, highly recommended. 

Here is a brief citation from Reading Eggs:

“Children love the games, songs, golden eggs and other rewards which, along with feeling proud of their reading, really motivate children to keep exploring and learning.” Reading Egg (accessed 23/11/2017)

Reading Eggs Maths Online Games

Many parents of young children have recommended Reading Eggs. Your children can have fun and learn to read, early, both at home or when you are out and about.

Perhaps giving children the best start early in life is the best thing to do as parents. This paves way for both academic success and success in life - reading is a life skill and every child should know how to read. 

The best way to learn how to read is to learn about LETTER SOUNDS. Find out how you can help your child learn letter sounds as the first of the 5 steps of learning to read by following the link.

Reading Eggs Fun

The 5 points are the main reasons why Reading Eggs is proven to be popular among many parents:

• 1.  Cater for children ages 3 – 13 years old;  
• 2. Highly interactive and reward-based – children play, earn points and learn;  
• 3. Accessible via Personal (Home) Computers and Smartphones;  
• 4. *Free* online trial permitted - no need to enter bank card details prior to the unlimited free trial; 
• 5. Over 90% of parents indicated noticeable *improvement* in their children.

Curriculum and Structural Changes: Intensive Early Childhood Education Has Long-lasting Effects on Learning

The education system has undergone several changes. Here are some highlights of the changes in the School Curriculum and School Structure in Papua New Guinea. To clarify, curriculum change would mean the the change from the Standard-Based Education (SBE) to Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and vice versa. Whereas the Structural Change refers to the arrangement (and rearrangement) of Grades composition within the schools. 

Brief

Many students in the 1990s will remember the curriculum change that took place. Talks about the change started in 1993/1994. The actual curriculum shift - from the more established SBE to the troublesome OBE - happened in 1995.

 Twenty-one (21) years later, (and after much criticism of OBE) the curriculum reverted to SBE in 2016. This year, 2017, would be the second year of implementing SBE in classrooms around the country. The interesting observation is that there is *no* information about what actually is transpiring in classrooms. It could imply either all is well or something is seriously not right.

Change as a process

Understandably, change – as a process – needs monitoring and reporting on an on-going basis. After 2 years of SBE many questions needing answers as the country's education system moves into the third year of SBE implementation:

• How are all the key stakeholders monitoring the progress and reporting? 
• How are the teachers coping in the classrooms? 
• Is there any significant transformation happening in classrooms nationwide?

Furthermore, in 2015 the Education Department hinted a change in overall School/Education Structure. And, implied to take effect, in 2016, starting with schools in the main centres (This had not materialised). The image gives details of the structural changes, including the attempt changes: 

1.    Pre-1995 (6-4-2 structure) 

• 12 years of schooling
• Primary School Grades 1 – 6 
• High School Grades 7 – 10
• National High School Grades 11 – 12
• Up to 1995 was the era of SBE

2.    1995 and ensuing years (2-6-4 structure) 

• 12 years of schooling
• Elementary school Grades 1 – 2
• Primary School Grades 3 – 8
• Secondary school Grades 11 – 12
• The era of OBE curriculum dominated by a slow move from the 6-4-2 structure to 2-6-4 structure

3.    2015 structural change (2-6-6)

• 14 years of schooling
•  Early years/pre-school Prep 1 – Prep 2
• Primary School Grade 1 – 6
• Secondary School Grades 7 - 12

This was supposed to have taken effect in 2016, but did *not* eventuate. In fact, the change would have completely turned the system upside-down. The pre-primary levels would stay the same. But the primary schools were likely to take in Grades 1 -2 and dissolve Grades 7-8. And, the Secondary Schools would (in turn) have taken in Grades 7-8, hence have Grade 7 - 12 (6 grades altogether!).

4.    2018 - *indication of another* structural change (1-6-6) 

• 13 years of schooling
•  Pre-school Prep 1
• Primary School Grades 1 – 6
• Secondary School Grades 7 – 12

Indicated recently through the media, this is another changed hinted to have started in 2018. Teachers, especially the Tok Ples Elementary and Grade 7-8 teachers, will be the obvious group caught in the changing structure. 

Foundation years (ages 3, 4, 5 and 6)

It is indicative, in the structural changes, that there are only one or two years at the pre-primary levels. This level of schooling remains a lesser focus area among the on-going educational changes. By this I mean, there is a need for *more* emphasis on *quality* at the early-learning (preparatory) years. For example, the education changes could look at widening the base to 4 years of early learning; or ensure children at these early years are a own group apart; or setting a benchmark where teachers with degree and honours teach the children of ages 3, 4, 5 and 6 years.

The changes cannot ignore the fact that learning taking place at the earlier ages has significant effect on children's cognitive and academic development. A research finding pointed out that:

The early childhood education can have long-lasting effects on the children's cognitive and academic development. (Source: RAND, a renown research organisation )

One impending question is: 

Do the educational changes, such as the structural and curriculum changes, place emphasis on the pre-primary level and early-learning?

The changes in PNG's education structure (and curriculum) are for the good of every child, nonetheless. The challenge, going forward, is to re-evaluate and prioritise the early-learning structure - create a stronger foundation.