A GROUP of students at a remote school in Eastern Highlands reportedly killed a
man who had earlier hacked their teacher to death in front of them, according to police. Eastern Highlands provincial police commander Supt John Kale said the incident happened at the Bakomu Primary School at Kamano One, in Kainantu district. The man was identified as Simeon Pintri, who Kale said was a known marijuana and homebrew user. He said Pintri had earlier killed another villager identified as Iso Isaac. Kale said Pintri was behaving aggressively when he came to the school and attacked the teacher Mathew John Gui with a bush-knife. Gui was from Dom in the Digine local level government, Gumine district, Chimbu. He said the students turned on Pintri after they saw the teacher killed. Kale said a man was shot dead in front of his children at Kamano Two in Kainantu during a fight. The incident happened last week. He said four men were arrested in relation to the killing and were remanded at the Bihute jail outside Goroka town. He also reported that two employees of a road construction company working on the Kainantu to Okapa road were killed by unknown men last week. Eighteen Papua New Guineans made up of teachers, lecturers, standard officers and provincial education heads are currently in England to undergo a two weeks intensive in-service training in education,at the Oxford University, starting on Monday.
The historic mission to Britain's Oxford University is part of the Oxford-Goroka Initiative, an ambitious plan by the two universities to transform and raise the standard and quality of teacher education in Papua New Guinea, focusing in Mathematics, Sciences and Language literature. The team of 5 females and 13 males consists of 6 lecturers from the University of Goroka, 3 Principals from Primary Teachers Colleges, a Standard Officer and 4 secondary school teachers from West New Britain and 4 personals from the East Sepik Provincial Division of Education. Vice Chancellor of the University of Goroka, Dr Gairo Onagi, said the visit to the Oxford University by the 18 participants is a historic occasion for education in Papua New Guinea. He said it marks the first formal exchange between Oxford University and any university in PNG, and the fact that the University of Goroka is at the forefront of this exchange gives him immense pride. During a brief with the team at the Ela Beach Hotel on Friday, Dr Onagi told them to be good ambassadors of PNG education and learn as much as they can to bring back and assist in the area of education back in PNG. He said the Oxford-Goroka Initiative would lead to more collaboration in future. Team leader and UOG’s Executive Dean of the School of Education, Dr Kapa Kelep Malpo, said the team make-up, illustrates the importance of partnership in education between teacher trainers, provincial education officers, standard officers and teachers in PNG. She said partnership in education is very much needed to collaboratively support and improve schools in Papua New Guinea. “The classroom is the engine room where brains are developed so teachers need to be supported from every angle in order to bring about the best lessons because a nations capacity building begins in the classroom therefore education is everyone business,” she highlighted. Meanwhile, UOG Chancellor, Mr Ben Sabumei (MBE) said he is proud to see UOG engage with Oxford University, as it is one of the world’s most reputable and oldest universities in the world and the exchange program would continue on next year. Mr Sabumei said the program also includes sending 2 lecturers to further their Masters in Education in September this year (2014) and an announcement will shortly be made in establishing a scholarship fund for sending more Papua New Guineans to Oxford University. Good and proper infrastructure is vital in the learning process. This is from Saint Mary’s Asitavi High School head teacher, Elaine Tsiroats Baris.
As the school prepares for their secondary school status, she says stakeholders must work together to ensure that learning is capable. Saint Mary’s Asitavi High School is a Catholic Agency School, located in Wakunai District, Central Bougainville and is one of the oldest education institutions in the autonomous region. Starting as a girl’s high school established in 1957 by the Catholic Missionaries, it has produced some of Papua New Guinea’s top elites before and after the Bougainville Crisis. The school is 57 years old, its’ infrastructure including classrooms, dormitories, ablution blocks and teacher’s houses that are slowly deteriorating, says head teacher Elaine Tsiroats Baris. Nine double-story buildings cater for the 348 students. Situated on top are dormitories with classrooms located underneath. Health wise, it is unhygienic, but students have no choice but to use it for classes. Despite these problems, the school continues to maintain its performance. It operates out of the government’s subsidy and sustainable projects like agriculture and the school canteen that generates money. Mrs. Baris also pointed out the lack of support from its agency. The head teacher appealed to stakeholders to work together for the common good. MARIANT Primary School in Kandep, Enga, has a new double classroom.Digicel Foundation, through its community assistance programme, built the classroom at a cost of K250,000. Fr Aaron Sakan, of the Catholic
Church who runs the school, described the assistance as a successful private-public partnership programme to deliver service to the people in the remote areas. He said it was the first time for more than 5000 people in the Mariant area to see a private company coming to their area to present a gift that would have a real impact on the lives of the children and parents. Enga provincial education officer Nicholas Mamben thanked Digicel for supporting the province’s education programme. EDUCATION is the door to the country and a key to a successful community, electorate and the family unit, Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko said yesterday.
He was speaking to scholarship recipients institutions that were under the Moresby South TVET Scholarship programme yesterday at the College of TAFE in Port Moresby. Tkatchenko said there were many applicants for the scholarship but only the successful ones received the sponsorship, and urged them not to take the opportunity for granted but utilise the resource to become successful in life. "We need to be proud and stand up for of ourselves," he said. SEVEN Grade 10 students of Pabaruk High School are admitted
at the Mt Hagen General Hospital after a clash with locals, an official says.The school is located in the Nebilyer local level government in Western Highlands. Local level government vice-president Timothy Kenn said the students were set upon by locals early yesterday morning during school assembly.Efforts to get in touch with police and headmaster Peter Tembon yesterday were unsuccessful.Kenn said the fight broke out when some locals entered the school premises. John Puri, a Grade 10 student, said they had argued with the locals on Tuesday when they entered the school compound."We don’t allow locals in the school because they take our properties. On many occasion, they break into our dormitories and steal our belongings,’’ he said. He said the locals were armed with knives, sticks, stones and catapults."We could not defend ourselves because we were taken by surprise,’’ he said.Puri said male and female students had to run for cover.Kenn condemned the fight saying the locals acted like animals by attacking students."Students are our future leaders and needed to be looked after.’’ With the O’Neill-Dion Government’s tuition free education policy, the teacher to student ratio sees more students to a teacher in the classroom.
Also, the teaching resources and facilities are some of the things considered as priority and need urgent attention. Member for Moresby North East, Labi Amaiu, utilized his DSIP funds to build classrooms in his electorate. One of the classrooms opened recently, was the St. Peters Channel Elementary School double classroom building in Port Moresby. Local MP, Labiu Amaiu, in his five year development plan, stated clearly the priority areas, including Education topping the list. Amaiu who is also the vice sports minister acknowledged the fund provided by the government and would like to see it put into good use. With ever increasing budget allocated every year for education, the priority now lies with the relevant authorities to issue funds to all the schools within their vicinity. Recently, the Higher Education Minister, Delilah Gore received overwhelming support from the parliament to reform tertiary education in the country. The bill passed on the parliament floor will create a legal and regulatory environment that encourages innovation and achievement; promotes quality, improves institutional and organizational accountability to the government and assists policy co-ordination between tertiary education, research, science and technology. The bill replaces the Higher Education Act 1983, which has not been substantially amended since it was introduced over 30 years ago. Young children who have a long way to go, will have access to quality education under a conducive environment in the near future. Amaiu has noted down all schools under his electorate and will pay a visit soon to see the progress of work to be carried out in schools that need urgent attention. A private school that is giving ‘a second chance’ to students pushed out by the Papua New Guinea education system, has now been recognized by the National Government, as a higher institution.
The International Training Institute (ITI) today was declared as an accredited institution, by Director General of OHE, Professor David Kavanamur. The International Training Institute is one of many privately run education institutions providing learning for young people that have not made it through the Papua New Guinea education system. Most of these youngsters are grade eight, ten and twelve school leavers. The institution was established ten years ago, and since then has grown, with branches established in five centers of the country, including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. “It’s a dream come true, after almost six years, since 2007, when they first sought approval with the Higher Education Office", said Managing Director, Kumaran Sentheyval. The accreditation is the start for more to be offered by the institution in terms of delivering quality teaching and learning. The Government has recognised I.T.I.’s contributions to education development in the country. "It’s programs, focused on business informatics", says OHE Director General, Professor David Kavanamur, "has given a second chance to students who couldn’t further [their education] to tertiary institutions. Kavanamur added, the government is now prioritizing education as one of the key policy tools in development. The challenge now for the office, is to improve access by growing the higher education sector. THE Balob Teachers College will offer a three-year diploma programme next year and introduce degree programmes for primary school teachers in 2106, according to principal Jerry Hendingao.
The college is run by the Lutheran church. Hendingao received a cheque for K100,0000 from Bulolo MP Sam Basil, the chairman of the joint district planning and budget priority committee, for the 30 students from Bulolo studying at the college. The students had signed an agreement with the district administration to serve their first five years in the district. Basil said the district was committed to helping its students. “Next year, 50% to 80% of the students sponsored will be from the Waria local level government,” Basil said. Hendingao said development was in the hands of the people and if more people were trained like the teachers, more development would eventuate. He said Basil supported development and it was a pity that the Government delayed the payment of development funds for the district last year. PAPUA New Guineans who have a passion in filmmaking may now pursue their careers in the Philippines with the vast opportunities offered by the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) to all interested foreign students.
Considered to be the “Hollywood in Asia”, IAFT delivers an educational experience that reflects Hollywood roots and traditions. It offers certificate and diploma programmes that include hands-on practical experience under the care and guidance of recognised industry mentors from Hollywood. IAFT has four campuses located in Los Angeles, Miami, Hong Kong, and the original campus which is in Cebu. The school is actively recruiting students interested in filmmaking. This is in coordination with the education placement organisation, Paradise International Education Consultancy (PIEC). PIEC has brought more than 200 PNG students in the Philippines since 2012 that are currently enrolled to university, pilot training and short courses. IAFT has a specialised curriculum that combines theory with practical application under the mentorship of leading industry professionals. Programmes to choose from includediploma and certificate programmes in filmmaking, performing arts-acting, and 3D animation & visual effects. Diploma programmes take 10 months to comple while certificate programmes take five months. Application is now open to all interested PNG students. |
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