‘OBE exhausting resources’

OVERCROWDING in classrooms and lack of resources for student to use are some issues that have been brought on by the reformed outcome-based education system.
According to teachers in Western Highlands, the reformed education system has destroyed the education system and put more burden on the teachers.
They said that many schools had more than 30 students in a class, making the job of the teachers very stressful to closely monitor individual performances and identify weaknesses.
They said under this system, they were required to teach and monitor students on a one-on-one basis but now with more students in a class, it was a next to impossible task.
They said students were also required to share text books, handouts, and other learning aids because the increasing number of student intake and lack of sufficient funding had caused the shortage of school materials.
They said this was also not good for the students who needed to learn and understand as much as they could.
The teachers were speaking in support of Teaching Services Commission (TSC) chairman, Michael Pearson.
Pearson, while speaking during the World Teachers Day celebrations in Port Moresby last week, said teachers needed a pay rise in order to successfully implement the OBE.
Spokesperson Nius Rom said teachers reforms should be done in line with the education reform.
He said the desired aims and goals would be achieved without any setbacks because teachers would be compensated for the efforts they put in.
These comments follow  a public rally held in Mt Hagen on Oct 1 where teachers highlighted that as implementers of the OBE, they were not satisfied with their remunerations.
They also presented provincial education authorities with a signed petition which had to be addressed within 20 working days.
The teachers group, known as Teacher rights movement, was made up of teachers from elementary, primary, high and secondary schools in the province.
Last week, the group  called on education authorities, including the provincial education division, the Papua New Guinea Teachers Association branch and the TSC to organise a public rally so that answers to their questions could be given face to face.