Elementary teachers

The event aimed to introduce to education officials and teachers the conversion of elementary schools to early childhood education centres under the standards-based curriculum. 

The outcome-based education (OBE) system, which was introduced in 2000, and had its first syllabuses published in 2003, was widely considered a failed concept.

Following public outcry, the then O’Neill-Dion government, in 2018, directed the Department of Education to abolish OBE in schools in the country.

Secretary for Education, Dr. Uke Kombra provided the numbers, after reports came out in the media of the delay in issuance of teaching diplomas. 

As of last week, the Department of Education has been deregistering elementary teachers, and to date has removed 620 of them.

Dr Kombra says these 620 teachers are currently teaching in elementary schools around the country.

After going through teacher qualifications, they found that 620 did not qualify for college, but were enrolled.

They graduated from Kokoda Track Foundation’s Teach for Tomorrow training program last week, funded by partners at the Flight Centre Foundation, Milne Bay Provincial Education and Member for Esa’ala, Steven Davis.

The newly trained teachers have been given the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to deliver a high quality education to elementary aged children in remote schools across the maritime province. They will also have the opportunity to access Government payroll positions for the first time ever, after volunteering in their schools for many years.

Kuman said, during the recent launch of the delivery of Standards-Based Curriculum (SBC) learning kits, that children’s interest and mental ability to learn is at the highest level during elementary education.

Therefore, it is important that teachers facilitate learning effectively.

Kuman highlighted that teacher competency in teaching skills and subject knowledge is very critical in setting the foundation.

He added that it is important that every elementary teacher’s minimum entry qualification is at diploma and first degree level.