Medium Term Development Plan, 2011-2015 - UNDP in Papua New ...

3.4 Primary and Secondary Education
Goal:
Achieve a better future by promotin g and enhancing integral human development.
Introduction
Since 1995 the education systems has faced difficulties in the effective delivery of its reform agenda. While
access to education has improved significantly, the quality of education has become a concern as the school
population has increased and the system has struggled to adequately plan for, fund and administer those
increases. There is considerable pressure in areas such as infrastructure and teacher numbers, teacher
training, materials development and distribution, and the capacity at all levels to monitor and administer the
education system. Moreover, there are now greater community and parental demands for access to education.
Other challenges for the education system include: improving retention through the years of basic education;
improving delivery of education services in rural and remote areas; completing reform of the secondary
curriculum and supporting effective implementation of the curriculum at all levels; strengthening the
vocational education and training sector; make better use of partnerships with the private sector and
community agencies; and securing adequate government budget support to match the growth in enrolments.
The net enrolment ratio in grade 1 was 52.9 per cent in 2007, while the net admission rate for children
between ages 6-14 years was only 11.5 per cent. The average class size in 2007 was large at 45 students,
calling into question whether teachers are able to attend effectively to the needs of individual students. The
Government aims to develop a highly literate and numerate workforce within the next 20 years by providing
universal access to quality basic education. This will require building capacity within the education system
through investment in the training of teachers, rehabilitation of existing primary and secondary school
infrastructure, investment in new classrooms and dormitories, and a phased reduction in school fees. The
Government will also rehabilitate the existing National high schools to ensure that students entering
university are well prepared. Secondary schools in turn will be well integrated with vocational and technical
colleges to ensure students have the opportunity to acquire much needed skills.
MTDP 2011-2015
The immediate focus of the Government within the next five years will include: implementing education
reforms to improve service delivery; strengthening and coordinating partnerships with stakeholders at all
levels; enhancing universal access to primary education, ensuring effective distribution of education materials
and supplies and implementing necessary legislative reforms. These interventions will be supported by
curriculum reform across all levels of schooling and legislative changes to ensure educational materials can
be easily distributed throughout the country. Another legislative change critical during the next five years is
the centralising and standardising of education functions as part of a process of developing effective
management and administration.
The costs and benefits of publishing uniform exam results will be investigated through trials with interested
provinces. Similarly, an incentive fund to reward well-performing schools will be piloted during this 5 year
period. Partnerships with the private sector, churches and the International Education Agency will also be
pursued. Interventions in the 2011-2015 period will strengthen education pathways into higher education
institutions and technical and vocational colleges. In particular, the flexi-high school system will be developed
during this period and will be rolled out to secondary school students as well as to school leavers. Moreover,
National high schools will be rehabilitated and re-established in order to improve the standards of year 12
students entering university.
Building on MTDP 2011-2015
The Government will in the next 15 years continue to build the capacity of the education system through the
expansion, rehabilitation and upgrading of education institutions. Moreover, the Government will provide
quality educational materials and supplies across the country, taking advantage of prior investment in the
transport and utilities sector. Universal access will be expanded to encompass secondary education through
to year 10 and mechanisms that retain students to year 12 will be improved and expanded.
Challenges in implementation
For effective implementation of deliverables within 2011-2015, the education and training of teachers,
improved transport links, the provision of safe learning environments free from violence, land reform to enable
construction of new classrooms and teachers’ houses and effective management and administration of the
entire education system are of utmost importance.
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