Call to assist teachers

I WELCOME the National Research Institute’s recent focus report on our children’s early childhood education.
It is hardly rocket science to see that in order to enhance students’ learning levels, we must assist the same individuals with whom our children spend most of their time with ­– their teachers.
In my early 20s, I had the opportunity of working directly with secondary, high and primary schools in various parts of the country in an non-governmental organisation (NGO).
My experience exposed me to teachers and their classroom teachings; their thorough planning, as well as the originality and vibrancy they offer to their lessons daily.
I have seen teachers draw lengthy lines on the chalkboard with amazing accuracy without using rulers.
That was passion.
I also got the opportunity to stay with teachers while on project visits.
As a city guy, I was surprised that in the 21 Century, we had teachers who create lesson plans by candlelight and sleep in sago thatched-roof homes.
Not to mention the absence of effective personal health and hygiene management as a result of contaminated water sources.
Water-borne illnesses are common.
Women teachers and female pupils are also affected, as this study makes apparent.
We have only recently seen a gradual understanding from the school board of management (SBoMs), male teachers, and male students through advocacy/sensitisation around sexual reproductive rights with teachers in-services and with students at general assemblies. Cultural taboos, stigma, and prejudice based on gender continue to exist in many parts of our society.
Across the country, SBoMs are raising their hands to make Wash programmes available in their schools.
Reusable pads are also now available for free through the home economics department in some schools.
These are encouraging evidence that our female students’ confidence will begin to raise and hope these cascades to them performing to the best of their potential in class.
Furthermore, the exposure made me understand that our teachers are overworked as a result of a slew of donor-funded activities ostensibly linked with the GoPNG’s Education Policy.
This has been difficult since teachers are expected to grow and absorb a lot in a short time.
These have resulted in a decline in performance and an increase in worry for one’s well-being.
Teachers believe they are being compared to a Christmas tree that has been over-decorated to the point where the entire tree would fall.
I would like to emphasise that teachers are some of the most enthusiastic individuals on the planet.
They adore their jobs, which is why they enrolled in teacher education programmes in the first place.
They’ve studied pedagogy.
We don’t give teachers enough room to be teachers.
For far too long, the Education Department in Waigani has micromanaged our teachers, failing our students in PNG.
For example, when it comes to originality, teachers prefer to teach current events throughout all core disciplines rather than reciting a world history of the World War II that is almost 70 years old.
How about performing genuine case studies, quizzes, and assignments for your grade 11 history students regarding the present conflict in Ukraine?
Or, how about hands-on grade 3 making a living project utilising their surrounding communities?
Or, bring in successful small business owners to talk to grade 9 Commerce classes?
When we give our teachers time to think, we allow them to bring their creative energies into their classrooms.
That is how our children think.
On the other hand, do you understand how often we send our low-order thinkers to low-order performing schools?
This is modern-day cargo-cult thinking that we will have a different outcome.
We have failed two generations as a result of the aforementioned consistency.
Low-performing students should be assigned to high-performing schools so that they have every opportunity to succeed backed with individual supervision from teachers.
While low-performing schools should be staffed by motivated SBoMs and instructors, incumbent teachers should be sent to further trainings (in-service) or to high-performing schools.
These schools should explore public-private partnerships within their districts to improve physical infrastructure and strategies to improve teachers’ quality of life.
In this method, we indirectly enhance our students’ learning levels.
Teaching is an art form.
Allow the artists to accomplish what they do best by giving them with the tools they need to develop their craft.
When I think about education, two things spring to mind – what is its purpose and what is its function?

Helicopter journalist