Saonu trying to improve education

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
MOROBE’S education reform will see children as young as three years old receive early childhood education while those who do not pass grade 10 and 12 are given better chances to improve their grades.
Early childhood learning would be the beginning because it looked promising, Governor Ginson Saonu said at the opening of the first dialogue on the reform last Wednesday.
“Every three to five-year-old child must attend an early childhood programing in Morobe,” he said.
“We have tried it in Kabwum, and it is convincing and promising, and we want to share it with the province.”
Saonu has also declared a zero-dropout or zero-school leavers policy through enhancing flexible, open, distance education (Fode) and technical, vocational education and training (Tvet), and recognising other institutions.
“Fode will be set up in all districts of Morobe and all programmes for secondary schools will be merged with its programmes,” he said.
“Tvet will be given prominence as an alternate pathway for school leavers in all nine districts to receive training.
“Every person is to be given some form of education through different institutions like churches or private organisations such as International Training Institute.
“My government will ensure inclusive education for disabled children and persons out in the nine districts to accommodate learning needs for people with disabilities.”
Saonu said the reform was aimed at improving the existing system through smart techniques, strategies, innovative ideas and intervention programmes.
Saonu said more research would be conducted to design workable, user-friendly, and helpful methods for improvement.
To kick-start the reform, he declared Heldsback Teachers College in Finschhafen, a college for early childhood and elementary teacher training in Morobe.
He also confirmed that a memorandum of agreement would be signed between University of Goroka and the province to set up a distance learning centre of the university in the province this year.
Meanwhile, half of the K1 million promised for the education reform was allocated by the government after the province’s budget was passed this week.