The number of students enrolled in elementary to secondary schools this year has increased to a gross enrollment rate of 78 percent, a four percent leap from last year’s 74 per cent.
That is 1.8 million children enrolled out of the 2.3 million children school age children throughout the country, and was largely due to the Government’s tuition fee free policy. Minister for Finance and Education James Marape stated this at the 2014 Leaders Summit yesterday in Port Moresby. He said the compulsory education policy aims to see all school age children in school but cannot have this done at all levels as some have passed school age. "In 2015, we will have an education structure reform that will do away with the outcome based education and use the new standard based education. "There will be only one exit at the end of year 12 following a final examination; there will be no more dropouts at the end of grades eight and 10,"he said. Mr Marape said this means all elementary schools will enrol grades one and two, primary schools will have grades three to six and all secondary schools will cater for grades seven to 12. "There was no capacity in primary schools under the OBE system for grades 7 and 8 resulting in poor grade 9 and 10s results," he added. From 2014 to 2017, the Government will focus on tuition free education, school curriculum which is the exit strategy of OBE and the introduction of English language policies in standard based education and improved teacher training to improve their quality in the workforce. The Government will also focus on technical and vocational education training (TVET), compulsory education and schools of excellence that is introducing international standard curriculum, teacher training, improved infrastructure and provisions of teaching and learning materials. Mr Marape said despite the K652 million funding for last year, nothing was parked aside for the schools infrastructure therefore 20 per cent of that was spent on school infrastructure. There are more than 45,647 teaching staff and 10,466 recognized schools in throughout the country. However, there were 230 schools found to be no-operational in 2013 and accounts suspended and there is still an ongoing partnership between the banks and the Department of Education. Post Courier Comments are closed.
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