Need to review education reform urgently
MANY writers to this column have called on the Department of Education to review the education reforms in PNG.
But the silence from the department is deafening.
Education reforms were introduced in 1995.
They included structural reform and curriculum reform.
However, neither had been properly reviewed since their introduction.
Nearly everyday, we read about the OBE being criticised.
Yet no one from the Department of Education is making any attempt to explain why we need to continue with the OBE.
PNGs efforts at achieving EFA (education for all) targets fell short and it is common knowledge that our education indicators are the lowest in the Pacific region.
The National Governments education subsidy initiative, where millions of kina is being poured, is making very little difference in improving opportunities and providing quality education.
There has never been a credible impact evaluation study conducted on education subsidy to determine if the subsidies were making any difference.
The national education board must now acknowledge the reality and call for a major review of the education reforms because it appears we have ran out of excuses for a declining education system.
Quality education supporter
Via email
*Editors note: See response by Education secretary Dr Joseph Pagelio (Feb 9) OBE focuses on a childs learning needs.*
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