Moral education sorely lacking

Weekender

By GLENDA AWIKIAK
The current trend and behaviour of children in schools, communities, homes and on the streets is a grave concern.
It raises a lot of questions about the causes such a moral mess and what solutions are in sight for the future of PNG.
Experts, government authorities, politicians, parents, church leaders, teachers, community leaders, women leaders, non-governmental organisations and all civil societies are curious, and concerned about a future on the crossroads.
But in homes, communities, government offices , NGOs churches and on the streets, there are people thinking, programming, doing presentations and writing plans on what they think are causes and solutions for this moral decline.
Some operate in groups and others operate individually reading, writing, programming, scripting, and doing many other things as to how they can address this problem.
Meet Ray Maino of Morobe who is striving to contribute a solution to this confronting issue.
Maino, who is in his 60s, has written a large manuscript of Christian Religions Education for high schools and secondary schools and hopes to have in published and adopted by the education system.
Maino was once employed as an auditor with the Department of Primary Industry (now Department of Agriculture and Livestock) and has been unemployed for some 17 years while doing freelance jobs.
His writing is based on the number 12 as a significant figure discussing many aspects of Christian ethics and principles and how to apply those in our individual lives and the lives of children.
He is a Lutheran but his faith is not confined to only within his church but is flexible with other denominations in the country. Maino believes in the word of God in the Bible and wants to see this word spread to children to transform lives.
“I don’t want to sit back and watch while our nation is going through agony and pain. This is what motivated me to write religious resource materials for the Education Department, 24 volumes in all. These materials were developed and framed with a view to shed a light on the young and growing minds of Papua New Guineans.
“And it has taken me almost 17 years in conducting research and writing these materials.”
Education Minister Nick Kuman recently launched a Citizenship and Christian Values Education curriculum (CCVEC) recently.
Kuman declared that Christian values and principles must be taught in schools starting next year.
The Citizenship and Christians Values Education will emphasise on good role modeling, productive and meaningful citizenship beginning with parents and guardians.
The Citizenship and Christians Values Education will emphasise on fairness and respect within the family first before discussing issues at the community, national and global levels.
It has four strands: Civic identities, principles and systems; Christian values and principles; citizenship and society; and governance and leadership.
The minister said CCVE must be taught in all schools including those run by government. Schools must all make sure this subject is taught to the children beginning next year.
Maino knows that the day he has waited and longed for in more than 10 years has come and what he has would be useful in the schools for the children.
“The main focus of the curriculum is integral human development, how both material and non-material portions of a human person are equitably addressed to realise a complete, sound and mature individual in society.
“I have a number of religious resource materials on hand but due to my inability to source funds and even due to my advancing age I cannot make it. For this reason I am waiting on any good individual or God-fearing man, woman or group to take charge of these materials, publish them and distribute them to the education department.
“I would also want to see any surplus of the funds raised through the sale of these materials to be used to establish and integral human development foundation. This foundation could in time take care of the spiritual, mental and physical needs of the disabled, neglected and illiterate children in our society.”
Any group or individual interested to help in this worthy cause can contact Ray Maino on 74211946/75283727.