Take teacher quality seriously

BETTER late than never – dishonest elementary school teachers should be removed from the education system.
We have more teachers from the primary and secondary expected to go off the system – all for allegedly using fake certificates to enter training colleges.
Education secretary Dr Uke Kombra is adamant these teachers should go.
One thing for sure is that the standard of education has dropped and the quality seems to be the missing component.
It is a worrying trend on the level of English spoken and read these days.
Mistakes are common in the pronunciation of words and letters, stresses on wrong syllables and the general lack of fluency by some of our news reporters.
We, Papua New Guineans, at all levels of society and professions have difficulties in our spoken English.
There are a number of contributing factors to this issue.
The obvious question is: Why have we regressed thus far instead of getting better?
Is it that we don’t have quality English teachers in our elementary, primary and secondary schools?
The teaching of good moral conduct into the education system – from primary to secondary school is missing.
The equation here is quality teachers’ equals’ quality education.
You cannot get the best students to give you quality education or give you the evidence or testimony of quality education if you do not have well-trained teachers.
Teaching is one of the most complicated jobs today.
It demands broad knowledge of subject matter, curriculum and standards; enthusiasm, a caring attitude, and a love of learning; knowledge of discipline and classroom management techniques; and a desire to make a difference in the lives of young people.
With all these qualities required, it’s no wonder that it’s hard to find great teachers.
Consecutive studies show the single most important factor determining the quality of the education a child receives is the quality of his teacher.
Some countries have well-established education systems which provide near universal coverage of the primary school-aged populations and are increasingly doing so at the secondary level.
Their teaching forces meet or exceed minimum qualifications and they do reasonably well in terms of efficiency, quality and equity.
Unfortunately for Papua New Guinea, not much attention has been given to the institutions entrusted to groom teachers, hence, the drop in standard and gradually allowing corrupt practices to creep in.
While the blame has now shifted to the principals of various training colleges, the Government and the Education Department is equally responsible for this mess.
Had there been proper monitoring, consistent and sufficient funding and an upgrade in its overall operations, there would not have any room for such to happen.
There has been too much talk at the executive level and less implementation down the line.
What education should do is enable people to think critically on issues and.
It should enable them to form conclusions independently.
If the Government believes this, then they should ensure that teachers and the teaching profession get adequate support.
Education is the tool to develop that resource, and that is why it should be among the top priorities for any government.
But this is only part of the challenge because regardless of the educational philosophy underpinning any system, the people who are tasked with implementing it should be able to do so without compromising their performance.