College in dire need for modernisation: Official

Madang Teachers College, the country’s only State-run teacher training institution, is in dire need for serious development and modernisation, an officials says.
Joe Agavi, chairman of MTC’s newly appointed governing council, said buildings and infrastructures were a very important aspect of students and staff life that should be looked at immediately.
During a visit by The National last week, the outlook of the dire situation seemed not too obvious as one walked into the campus of the almost 50-year-old institution.
First to meet the eye were either recently built or refurbished buildings, however, behind them were all the old infrastructures in varying dilapidating states of disrepair.
They included dormitories, staff houses, classrooms, a basketball court and a crumbling fence separating the college from one of Madang’s notorious settlements, Sagalau.
“Most staff houses need maintenance or just total destruction and rebuilding of new ones including new facilities,” Agavi said.
“MTC recently launched the strategic measurement plan (SMP), our roadmap to have better students, better facilities, and ultimately be an institution that could lure top quality staff to come.”
He said MTC first started in 1963 as a training facility which prepared expatriate teachers before they went to teach throughout the country but over the years, it evolved through various programmes up to this day.
“Curriculum reforms have started to progress, what we’re undergoing now is part of the structural reform,” he said.
“When we blend this together, we get a quality output.”
Agavi said his nine-man council was focused on leading MTC to the next level, through this journey of modernisation.
Department of Higher Education, Research and Technology deputy secretary Charles Mabia said MTC could only achieve this with a proper master plan to back the SMP.
“With good governing council to prioritise expanding infrastructure, capacity building, upgrading or creating of new curriculum and training of academic and admin staff, MTC can produce better quality teachers,” he said.
“My immediate appeal is to work on a master plan; we have to modernise this college.
“We must make MTC a desirable institution for both teachers looking for better incentives and students pursuing a degree.”
Mabia referred to the National Executive Council decision which transferred all training colleges under their respective industries to be parked under DHERST.