Official: Improving literacy starts with early learning

Youth & Careers

Addressing literacy in Papua New Guinea should start at early childhood education, a government official says.
Education Department first assistant secretary provincial services Maxton Essy said the focus on education was on young children.
“Our literacy rate in the country is low, that is one of the factors that the country needs to improve,” Essy said.  He was speaking at the Telikom Foundation’s  launch of its donation box and presentation of K1550 to Buk Bilong Pikinini on Friday.
He said addressing literacy at early childhood education was important.
“We can start with our children who are in elementary and kindergarten,” Essy said.
“That way, when they grow up, they will be literate – be able to read, write and understand. That is very important.
“That’s where we improve the literacy of the country starting at that level. We (Education Department) are looking at interventions as how to improve the quality of education, enhance quality teaching and learning.
“The kind of education we want to give to the child has to be of quality and other things that we do should complement that.
“At the moment, we have 2.2 million children in  schools. That is a big number and we hope that the government can support the children.”
Essy acknowledged Buk Bilong Pikinini for the work they do in introducing books to children at an early age.