ABG mulls over using English at elementary level

 ELEMENTARY schools in Bougainville have been exempted from using English for instruction until the Autonomous Bougainville Government makes a definite policy.

Bougainville education chief executive Bruno Babato said the national government directed all elementary classes to use English but it exempted all schools operating under the ABG administration.

“This means the Bougainville government is required to develop its own language policy due to the fact that the powers and functions relating to elementary and Technical Vocational Education Training  curriculums have already been transferred to the ABG,” he said yesterday.

Babato said the schools did not necessarily have to abide by the policy. 

“It further means that an informed decision has to be made regarding this shift in policy to suit the Bougainville context.”

 Babato said the Bougainville education board had two options to consider – elementary schools to continue with the current policy that allowed the use of vernacular or a lingua franca for instruction and effecting a new policy to use English from  this year.

Babato said English as a subject in elementary schools could be easily implemented once in-service  was given to teachers. 

He said the ABG constitution stated that children be taught their vernacular at elementary level.