So’on helps guide department

EDUCATION Department deputy secretary Philip So’on is a teacher with 40 years’ experience and has taught in several high schools in Papua New Guinea.
Kicking off his education profession in 1983 in New Ireland, So’on now oversees the department’s guidance and counselling division and its operations in 21 provinces.
“My role is to lead programmes that promote student wellbeing and gender equality, making sure that schools implement the department’s behaviour management policy,” he explained.
So’on specialised in guidance and counselling in his education degree, and identified a workforce gap in this area.
Keen to develop his skills further and share them with his colleagues, he applied for an Australia Awards short course in counselling two years ago.
“Most of my officers are teachers without counselling knowledge,” he said.
“I wanted the knowledge and skills in regards to counselling so that I could train them to provide the service to teachers and students and have the right values and attitudes when they visit schools.”
So’on was one of 25 participants in the first Australia Awards short course counselling cohort at Griffith University in 2019.
Participants represented national departments including education, health and justice and attorney-general, as well as the private sector and non-government organisations such as Hargy Oil Palm and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The cohort secured a 100 per cent completion rate and today are sharing their skills across PNG in support of community wellbeing, development and the PNG-Australia Partnership.
In So’on’s case, this has involved developing a training manual for guidance officers and teachers in schools.
So’on developed the resource as part of the work-based project that is part of all Australia Awards short courses.
He successfully implemented his project in 2020 after receiving endorsement from the Education Department.
He has used the training manual to provide basic counselling training to more than 60 department staff.
So’on said the training was particularly timely given the challenges of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
“The work of guidance officers during the pandemic is crucial,” he said.
“The emotional aspect of students’ lives is just as important as the academic aspect.
“If not for the short course, I would not have the knowledge, skills and right attitude to deliver the trainings.”
So’on hopes that the importance of guidance and counselling in schools, and the link between emotional wellbeing and teachers and students’ performance remain a priority.
“Proper guidance and counselling can change the teaching and learning experience of teachers and students in PNG.”