PNG Immigration and Citizenship Authority New Location Port Moresby

The PNG Immigration and Citizenship Authority informed their clients in the National Capital District (NCD) that all PNG Passport lodgement and collection would now take place at the new Passport Service Centre.

The new PNGICA centre is located on the first floor of Koitachi Haus, Spring Garden Road, Gordons, along Poreporena Freeway. 

All payments and applications for PNG Passports must be lodged and collected at this venue. 

Furthermore, all other applications for migration services will continue to be at the Central Government Office (CGO) at Waigani. 

The new Passport Service Centre at Koitachi Haus will open every working day. Take particular note of the following times:

• 8:00 am to 12 noon for Passport lodgements and 
• 8:00 am to 4:00 pm for collection and follow-up. 

Clients are advised to lodge all Passport applications (including renewals) at the Passport Service Centre at Koitachi Haus effective as of 16th August 2019. 

For any further information or query contact Client Services on:

• telephone +675 3276101 or 
• email: clientservice@immigration.gov.pg

Australia Awards Short Course Awards - Certificate IV in Agribusiness

Australia Awards Short Course Award Certificate IV in Agribusiness is seeking potential participants who are working in the agricultural industry and would like to develop their knowledge and skills in agribusiness.

[Check out the latest information on Australia Awards Scholarship for 2023]

To be a successful applicant for this Short Course Award you must be an owner or manager working in an agribusiness or an employee of an organisation supporting the development of the agricultural sector in PNG.

You must also:

Have a minimum of Grade 12 qualification with five or more years of experience working in Agriculture/ Agribusiness.

Have a commitment to prepare and implement a project as part of the course requirement.

Engage actively and foster networks with multiple stakeholders, including in Australia and to disseminate learning from the course with colleagues and peers.

Have an endorsement letter from your current manager/supervisor or employer

Have demonstrated ongoing commitment to the development and progress of an agribusiness

Applications close at 5pm on Friday 11 October 2019.

Find out more and download an application form using the links below.

The factsheets listed in bullet points below can be downloaded here

• Download Application Form (PDF) – Private Sector and Civil Society
• Download Application Form (Word) – Private Sector and Civil Society
• Download Application Form (PDF) – Public Sector
• Download Application Form (Word) – Public Sector

More on Australian Awards click here.

Education Partnership for PNG Secondary Schools - Aust and PNG

The education parnership for secondary schools was launched by the Australian Foreign Minister and Minister for Women, Marise Payne during her recent visit to Papua New Guinea.

Launching of AustPNG Sec Sch Pa

The Australian Foreign Minister said in one of her tweets that

'This important program will strengthen our education links between schools and students in #Australia and #PNG. 🇦🇺🇵🇬'

Detail of the PNGAus Secondary Schools Partnership Program - reposted -

The PNGAus Partnership Secondary Schools initiative is a unique opportunity for Australian secondary schools to partner high performing Papua New Guinean secondary schools.

This program aims to strengthen relationships between Papua New Guinean and Australian secondary schools to deepen people-to-people links and build secondary education capabilities in STEM, English and student agency.

12 Secondary Schools Partnership 

The pilot initiative will see 12 high performing secondary schools in Papua New Guinea and 12 secondary schools in Australia engaged in reciprocal immersion experiences in PNG and Australia during 2019 and 2020.

The program will involve three phases; pre-departure, in-country and post-trip, which will include:​

• ​​formal professional learning for teachers collaborative projects amongst schools student leadership initiatives; and
• a reciprocal in-school component with delegation from partner schools.

This initiative  has been developed under the PNG-Australia bilateral partnership as a new school education initiative enhancing engagement between PNG and Australian schools.

The PNGAus Partnership Secondary Schools initiative is fully funded by the Australian High Commission in PNG to support schools to stimulate their curiosity, understanding and interest in engaging more deeply with Australia.

Benefits for Schools

The initiative aims to develop intercultural skills, student leadership capacity and personal connections amongst counterparts.

The three key objectives of PNGAus Partnership Secondary Schools initiative are:

• improve secondary school education capabilities in targeted areas
• build student empowerment through the development of leadership skills and an expanded world view; and 
• strengthen the public diplomacy between the two countries. 

NRI: PNG SCHOOLS HAVE GREAT ACCESS BUT LACK QUALITY

Papua New Guinea currently has 7298 elementary schools and 3543 primary schools throughout the country.

NRI | Facebook

The National Research Institute's Universal Basic Education Program Leader Dr Kilala Devette-Chee told Prime Minister James Marape during a recent visit to the Institute that despite this huge number there are only 219 secondary schools and 114 TVET and vocational schools.

Dr. Devette-Chee says this clearly indicates that while there are more students having an access to education, the available tertiary institutions are not able to cater for all of them.

She says while the Tuition fee free policy has greatly improved access to education for children, the quality is lacking and it is something that must be addressed immediately by the Government.

Meantime, findings from a research conducted by the National Research Institute's Universal Basic Education program shows that although there is a good increase in the access and retention of children for education in the country, there is more to be done to improve the quality aspect of it.

Dr Kilala Devette-Chee says this was revealed through the Institute's bi-annual provincial and district profiles, from which a nation-wide research study was done and completed in December.

Dr. Kilala Devette-Chee says from this study, review is now being conducted into the UBE system for the four regions of the country and it should be completed in December or early next year.

Picture Source: National Research Insitute via NBC PNG News Facebook page