Teacher influenced by father

Education, Normal
Source:

The National, Monday 29th April 2013

 By CHRISTINE PAKAKOTA

SHE grew up as a teacher’s daughter and decided to relive her father’s teaching expedition by taking that same journey as well.

Monica Korei, 49, from Mendum village in the Murik Lakes and Muschu Island in East Sepik heard a lot good things that come with the teaching profession from her father Jangara Gabriel Korei.

“You’re guaranteed a job. You don’t get to apply again through the normal process like the private sector where we have to apply and go for an interview.”

My father told me: “You just have to be someone who can really do your work and be appreciated and all these things will fall in line with it.

“A teacher’s pay is not good, but you have other benefits to come with the job such as a house to live in, which is a very big problem in the society and even around the world.”

She was told when students went on holidays, teachers also took a break and that was one advantage unlike in the private sector, one had to work for a  year and then take leave.

She never thought seriously about all those discussions she had with her father and enrolled at the Goroka Technical College, graduating with a PETT secretarial and PETT stenography certificate in 1994.

She took up jobs in the mining industry working as an executive officer or personal assistant to general managers of various companies.

“My job took me everywhere and I was spending less time with my children who were growing up. That became a concern for me and my parents,” she said.

After some serious thought and with  encouragement from her father, she enrolled and graduated with a diploma in business studies education under the technical vocational education and training (Tvet) programme from the University of Goroka in 2003.

She started her teaching career in 2003 at Tusbab Secondary School teaching Grade 11 and 12 computer studies and Grade 9 and 10 commerce and to this day has no regrets of taking up the teaching profession.

She is currently teaching Grade 10 and 11 business studies at Tabubil Secondary School.

“We just got our status this year in March. 

“Previously it was high school. Before that I was down at Ningerun High School in 2009 in the North Fly district.”

She taught English at the Aiambak High School in the Middle Fly district of Western from 2007-08 and in 2005 and 2006, she was at Daru Secondary School teaching business studies. 

Comparing her posting to the different schools in Madang and Western, she said Madang was more developed  than Western. 

“It is true that Western is the last province, the human resource is not that many. Most of the teachers teaching here are outsiders, not from the province itself.

“The education level is low. Personally I feel that all stakeholders have to collectively work together so that they can get the results.”

She said when it comes to results, there must be a balance. “Teachers must be happy. Their welfare must be taken care of before teachers can achieve results in a much better way.

When asked about her thoughts on the outcomes-based education (OBE) system, she said: “OBE is good and has its advantages. 

“The only thing is that we are short of curriculum materials or resource materials where we can implement it effectively. 

“With the little materials we have, we try to implement it the way we see  fit for the students. We make the appropriate adjustments and teach.”