Questions over new Chimbu teachers’ college

 IT is surprising but interesting to read that we have a newly-established teachers’ college in Chimbu. 

It is surprising because I believe there are national Department of Education’s policies on establishing teacher colleges.

They cover staff recruitment processes, paying them, and enrolling students with appropriate academic credentials. 

The courses must go through checks and a wide range of things must be done in order for this college to be recognised as a teachers’ college. 

In my view, some of the due processes, as stipulated under the law on establishing a teachers’ college have  not been followed.  

It is unbelievable for someone to mention publicly that they are training teachers to send into the remote parts of Chimbu. 

How certain are we that these trainee teachers would take up positions in the rural areas when the administrators of this teachers college know that essential services in rural areas are lacking or non- existent and teachers have repeatedly run away or refused to take up positions?   

These graduates from Chimbu teachers’ college will be paid by taxpayers including those taxpayers in rural areas. 

Will these graduates who have not made it to tertiary institutions after their Year 12, and others who have left school for a number of years, who have been enrolled in Chimbu teachers’ college and awarded a degree equivalent to other existing and conventional teacher colleges, make good teachers?  

It is up to the parents to accept these teachers into their schools and allow them to teach their children.  

Yes, it is interesting because this teachers’ college promotes the Chimbu provincial government’s initiative to go rural which complements the millennium development goals on universal education and our development strategic plan 2010 to 2030, as well as Vision 2050 goals to create a healthy and wise population.

Worried Parent, Via email