OBE policy needs support

THE Outcome Based Education policy (OBE) cannot be successful unless schools and teachers are better resourced to ensure that best is given to a child, PNG Teachers Association national general secretary Ugwalubu Mowana said.
“Teachers will continue to feel the brunt in their endeavour to teach through this child-centered approach unless the Government starts ensuring that schools and teachers are equally resourced to meet its demands,” he said.
Mr Mowana said since OBE required one teacher to apply a different teaching approach each time for different childrens’ needs, it was time consuming, exhausting and an injustice, considering the current remuneration for the teacher.
“PNGTA greatly opposes the OBE because it causes overcrowding in classes as it increases the teacher to students ratio.
“How is one teacher going to teach so many students and at the same time direct attention to individual student needs?” Mr Mowana said.
Earlier this week, senior education officials were on FM 100 Talk Back show and accompanying the education secretary, Dr Joseph Pagelio, was the assistant secretary for Curriculum Development and Assessment Division Dr Eliakim Apelis.
Dr Apelis said the OBE was not a curriculum but a learning approach.
“Although OBE is a long-term transitional learning process, it will need the full support of the communities in rural areas to support it in terms of provisions of resources to enhance the approach,” Dr Apelis said.