InterOil funds teacher training

LUCY Tifi is a volunteer teacher at Poroi Elementary School, overlooking the Purari River in Gulf province.
She has been a volunteer at her local school since completing Grade 10 at Kikori Secondary School two years ago.
Recently, Tifi and other elementary school volunteers from schools along the Purari River, Gulf, received training from the Papua New Guinea Institute of Education (PNGEI).
InterOil, through its community affairs education programme, funded and organised a lecturer from the institute to conduct the training at InterOil’s Herd Base near Purari River for the volunteer teachers.
Six volunteer elementary school teachers from Poroi and Wabo villages attended the course.
Lecturer Roy Manikuali said the course included basics on teaching skills, assessment and particularly multi-grade teaching.
Such a teaching method was required in remote schools where children from all grades were taught in one classroom because of the lack of teachers.
“Teaching in remote communities such as along the Purari is challenging,” InterOil community development coordinator Ken Kenamu said.
“The participants in this training are all volunteers who are Grade 10 and 12 school leavers.
“InterOil is pleased to support their initiative.
“This will be followed by more training that will enable them to become trained elementary school teachers.”
InterOil’s education programme includes opening a Flexible Open Distance Education centre (FODE) in Wabo to cater for school-aged children unable to further their high school education.
Under the programme, InterOil has awarded a scholarship for another volunteer at Wabo Community School for primary school training at Gaulim Teachers College in East New Britain.