Summary

This document researches literacy rates in PNG.

Description

The Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE) and the PNG Education Advocacy Network (PEAN) conducted the Education Experience Surveys and Literacy Assessments.

The first two surveys were conducted in the National Capital District (NCD) and New Ireland Province in 2006-2007, while the three latest surveys of Chimbu, Sandaun and Gulf provinces were conducted from 2009 to 2011. The combined results now provide a significant body of primary data and accurate, statistically significant information about important education issues in five provinces of PNG.

To ascertain the extent to which the findings accurately reflect a national picture, further surveys and literacy assessments will be required. However, already it is evident that many of the findings have implications beyond provincial boundaries. As such, it is intended this report be used as an evidence-based contribution to education policy discussions and is made available to the PNG Government, donors, civil society organisations, other stakeholders and the wider community.

The full report provides a synthesis of results from the five provinces and then offers a detailed analysis of the latest three provinces of Chimbu, Sandaun and Gulf. The earlier detailed report on NCD and New Ireland Province is available from ASPBAE and PEAN. The surveys and literacy assessments highlight correlations between respondents' educational experience, income, literacy levels and language usage. Also discussed is the methodology used.

While the results provided are a cause for concern about important education issues in PNG, they're offered in a spirit of facing the realities and working constructively to address them.

PNG Education Experience Survey and Literacy Assessment Report (PDF 4.2mb)