I WROTE a letter recently (Dec 18) on the current education reform which has changed the style of learning for many children in Papua New Guinea.
In addition, I wish to comment more on the current recruitment of elementary teachers in many parts of PNG.
I have seen that many elementary teachers are Grade 6 dropouts and Grade 10 failures.
There has never been a proper training given to these so-called “teachers”.
I just wonder how a Grade 6 dropout can teach a child in an elementary class.
The Government has failed to implement the education reform in a professional way and as a result, we can see that the students who enter primary schools cannot communicate or construct a sentence in English.
Recently, I saw an advertisement in the media encouraging primary teachers to do a Bachelor of Early Childhood to train elementary teachers in teachers colleges.
This course should have been designed at the first place before implementing the education reform.
Why is the Education Department not making plans for the better delivery of education to the children of this nation?
We need people who can plan ahead before implementing a strategy.
It is a great shame to see that our Education Department has no proper plans before implementing the education reform.
If the Education Department had planned well, we should have thousands of Grade 12 leavers with good results entering teachers colleges and becoming elementary teachers.
What a shame to see the Education Department coming up with measures so late.

Peter Kini
HLIS, Amapyaka
Wabag, Enga