Under-trained teachers get extra courses

OVER 200 under-trained teachers will take Lahara courses on postgraduate Diploma in Education and Post Vocation Teacher Education this Christmas.
The course is offered jointly by the University of Goroka (UOG) and Unigor Ltd.
The PGDE/PVTE programmes began last year where a total of 22 under-trained teachers enrolled and successfully completed session one courses in six weeks.
Unigor manager said a lot of under-trained teachers with various qualifications were still teaching in schools.
“These untrained teachers will now enroll for session two courses to complete the programme,” Kata said.
The postgraduate Diploma in Education programme caters for degree holders in the fields of sciences and arts while the Post Vocation Teacher Education program caters for diploma and those in different trades (Tvet).
Of the sciences, 59 per cent have their specialisations in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics while of the arts degrees 33 per cent are in economics, business studies, accounting and geography.
The graduates come from the University of Papua New Guinea (40 per cent); Unitech (26 per cent) and 10 per cent each from DWU, PAU and UOG.
Of these candidates two have masters and one graduated from an Australian University.
Diploma holders and tradespeople are products of “our own” technical colleges, Kata said.
“All these people are matured adults and have had work experiences including teaching”, he said.
Kata said that under-trained teachers were still teaching in schools.
UOG, being the premier teacher education institution, has packaged and tailored this project to meet immediate national needs for training of under-trained teachers.
Recent curriculum reforms from outcome-based to standard-based education and changes of the education system are embraced in this programme.