Pagelio wants more focus on UBE

 by DULCIE OREKE

ACTING secretary for Education Dr Joseph Pagelio has called on all provincial education advisers, boards of management, governing councils, parents, education planners and district education managers to focus this year on the implementation of universal basic education (UBE) 2010-19.

He said this year was the year of implementation and urged everyone to focus on the implementation of the UBE plan which complements the national education plan 2005-14. 

Pagelio said UBE was education from elementary to Grade 8 with the bases on the vision of providing all school-aged children equal access to quality basic education which provides them with life-long skills in order to contribute to the development of the country.

“The plan also draws attention to accommodate the significant number of school-aged children that are still out of school,” he said.

Pagelio said UBE priorities captured the main purpose and objectives of education in PNG. 

The three components to UBE in PNG context includes: 

. All children completing the elementary and primary cycles of education that constitutes a basic education;

. All children entering school at specified age (age six in prep); and

.All children reaching a required standard of literacy and numeracy at the end of these years of education.

He said the implementation of UBE began last year with free education for students in elementary prep to Grade 2. 

He said this would continue to other grades over the coming years as it becomes feasible and urged all stakeholders to strategise their planning and budgeting to implement priority projects in order to achieve the targets and goals for this year.