Enga Governor, Sir Peter Ipatas wants quality enhanced education at all levels of education in his province.
This was his comments when he officially signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with University of Goroka yesterday. In the MoA the University will be running a four year Bachelor of Education (Primary) program phasing out the two year diploma programs previously run.
These affiliation processes are part of the National Executive Council (NEC) decision (54/1995) that requires higher education institutions to be unified by transferring post grade 12 and tertiary programs from respective departments to the Department of Higher Education Research, Science and Technology (DHERST).
Under the DHERST reforms, higher education institutions are encouraged to affiliate with Universities of their choice. This is to ensure that the quality of teachers are raised to a higher degree level.
Sir Peter said told the UOG team that he did not want any compromise in terms of recruitment of teachers and selection of students.
“There is no Enga person on the staff at Enga Teachers College. My provincial administration nor myself get embroiled in the affairs of ETC because we want to ensure that quality is maintained from the beginning to the end.”
He gave UOG the challenge of upholding quality in its program delivery. The diploma programs will be phased out by 2022 with upgrading of teacher qualifications and other developments via the affiliations.
Nazarene, Madang, Simbu and Balob Teachers Colleges have indicated their willingness to also affiliate with UOG.
