MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
Australia is boosting its commitment to assisting the Papua New Guinea
education reforms with a new $42 million teacher training project. In addition,
AusAID is extending its assistance for equipping primary schools with new
teaching materials.
The new project will run over the next five years and include training of
primary and secondary school teachers and teacher educators, as well as
constructing and renovating teachers colleges.
The Australian Government applauds Papua New Guinea's ambitious program for
reforming its education system and I am pleased that the reforms are reported to
be proceeding very well. The goal of providing nine years of schooling for all
children is admirable. International experience shows that the best investment a
country can make in its future is to provide a sound education for its
children.
Implementing the reforms requires a concerted effort by everyone involved,
not least the teachers. Primary school and secondary school teachers now have
two extra grades to teach, and thousands more teachers will be needed across the
country.
The primary and secondary teacher training project builds on other AusAID
projects in the education sectoran area which our Governments have agreed is a
priority for the development cooperation program.
The relocation of grades 7 and 8 from high school to primary school presents
particular challenges to the nation's primary schools, including the need for
new teaching materials. I am pleased to announce an extension of the AusAID
project to supply materials to primary schools which have taken on the
additional grades in 1997.
Teaching materials will be provided to a further 125 primary schools,
including schools on Bougainville, at a cost of approximately $9 million. AusAID
has already supplied materials to 216 upgraded primary schools, including to the
West Goroka Primary School that I visited today. The materials include text
books and subject kits for agricultural studies, industrial arts, home
economics, science, sport and the expressive arts.
GOROKA
Media contact: PNG Annmaree O'Keeffe (Australian High
Commission) 325 9333 Canberra Geoff Adlide (AusAID) 6206 4967 / 0417
683126