Medium Term Development Plan, 2011-2015 - UNDP in Papua New ...
Medium Term Development Plan, 2011-2015 - UNDP in Papua New ...
Medium Term Development Plan, 2011-2015 - UNDP in Papua New ...
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3.4 Primary and Secondary Education<br />
Goal:<br />
Achieve a better future by promot<strong>in</strong> g and enhanc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>tegral human development.<br />
Introduction<br />
S<strong>in</strong>ce 1995 the education systems has faced difficulties <strong>in</strong> the effective delivery of its reform agenda. While<br />
access to education has improved significantly, the quality of education has become a concern as the school<br />
population has <strong>in</strong>creased and the system has struggled to adequately plan for, fund and adm<strong>in</strong>ister those<br />
<strong>in</strong>creases. There is considerable pressure <strong>in</strong> areas such as <strong>in</strong>frastructure and teacher numbers, teacher<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, materials development and distribution, and the capacity at all levels to monitor and adm<strong>in</strong>ister the<br />
education system. Moreover, there are now greater community and parental demands for access to education.<br />
Other challenges for the education system <strong>in</strong>clude: improv<strong>in</strong>g retention through the years of basic education;<br />
improv<strong>in</strong>g delivery of education services <strong>in</strong> rural and remote areas; complet<strong>in</strong>g reform of the secondary<br />
curriculum and support<strong>in</strong>g effective implementation of the curriculum at all levels; strengthen<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
vocational education and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g sector; make better use of partnerships with the private sector and<br />
community agencies; and secur<strong>in</strong>g adequate government budget support to match the growth <strong>in</strong> enrolments.<br />
The net enrolment ratio <strong>in</strong> grade 1 was 52.9 per cent <strong>in</strong> 2007, while the net admission rate for children<br />
between ages 6-14 years was only 11.5 per cent. The average class size <strong>in</strong> 2007 was large at 45 students,<br />
call<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to question whether teachers are able to attend effectively to the needs of <strong>in</strong>dividual students. The<br />
Government aims to develop a highly literate and numerate workforce with<strong>in</strong> the next 20 years by provid<strong>in</strong>g<br />
universal access to quality basic education. This will require build<strong>in</strong>g capacity with<strong>in</strong> the education system<br />
through <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> the tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g of teachers, rehabilitation of exist<strong>in</strong>g primary and secondary school<br />
<strong>in</strong>frastructure, <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> new classrooms and dormitories, and a phased reduction <strong>in</strong> school fees. The<br />
Government will also rehabilitate the exist<strong>in</strong>g National high schools to ensure that students enter<strong>in</strong>g<br />
university are well prepared. Secondary schools <strong>in</strong> turn will be well <strong>in</strong>tegrated with vocational and technical<br />
colleges to ensure students have the opportunity to acquire much needed skills.<br />
MTDP <strong>2011</strong>-<strong>2015</strong><br />
The immediate focus of the Government with<strong>in</strong> the next five years will <strong>in</strong>clude: implement<strong>in</strong>g education<br />
reforms to improve service delivery; strengthen<strong>in</strong>g and coord<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g partnerships with stakeholders at all<br />
levels; enhanc<strong>in</strong>g universal access to primary education, ensur<strong>in</strong>g effective distribution of education materials<br />
and supplies and implement<strong>in</strong>g necessary legislative reforms. These <strong>in</strong>terventions will be supported by<br />
curriculum reform across all levels of school<strong>in</strong>g and legislative changes to ensure educational materials can<br />
be easily distributed throughout the country. Another legislative change critical dur<strong>in</strong>g the next five years is<br />
the centralis<strong>in</strong>g and standardis<strong>in</strong>g of education functions as part of a process of develop<strong>in</strong>g effective<br />
management and adm<strong>in</strong>istration.<br />
The costs and benefits of publish<strong>in</strong>g uniform exam results will be <strong>in</strong>vestigated through trials with <strong>in</strong>terested<br />
prov<strong>in</strong>ces. Similarly, an <strong>in</strong>centive fund to reward well-perform<strong>in</strong>g schools will be piloted dur<strong>in</strong>g this 5 year<br />
period. Partnerships with the private sector, churches and the International Education Agency will also be<br />
pursued. Interventions <strong>in</strong> the <strong>2011</strong>-<strong>2015</strong> period will strengthen education pathways <strong>in</strong>to higher education<br />
<strong>in</strong>stitutions and technical and vocational colleges. In particular, the flexi-high school system will be developed<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g this period and will be rolled out to secondary school students as well as to school leavers. Moreover,<br />
National high schools will be rehabilitated and re-established <strong>in</strong> order to improve the standards of year 12<br />
students enter<strong>in</strong>g university.<br />
Build<strong>in</strong>g on MTDP <strong>2011</strong>-<strong>2015</strong><br />
The Government will <strong>in</strong> the next 15 years cont<strong>in</strong>ue to build the capacity of the education system through the<br />
expansion, rehabilitation and upgrad<strong>in</strong>g of education <strong>in</strong>stitutions. Moreover, the Government will provide<br />
quality educational materials and supplies across the country, tak<strong>in</strong>g advantage of prior <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> the<br />
transport and utilities sector. Universal access will be expanded to encompass secondary education through<br />
to year 10 and mechanisms that reta<strong>in</strong> students to year 12 will be improved and expanded.<br />
Challenges <strong>in</strong> implementation<br />
For effective implementation of deliverables with<strong>in</strong> <strong>2011</strong>-<strong>2015</strong>, the education and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g of teachers,<br />
improved transport l<strong>in</strong>ks, the provision of safe learn<strong>in</strong>g environments free from violence, land reform to enable<br />
construction of new classrooms and teachers’ houses and effective management and adm<strong>in</strong>istration of the<br />
entire education system are of utmost importance.<br />
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