The Department of Education in New Ireland is undergoing two major reforms since 2015.
The structural reform is to change the grade structure from 3 years Elementary, 6 years primary and 6 years secondary to 3 years Early Childhood, 6 years Primary and 6 years secondary.
Director for Education Wesley Siangat when briefing the Provincial Executive Council said the structural reform is currently being implemented in phases in New Ireland.
“To date St Jude Mongop and Boliu High School are implementing the structural reform whilst 8 primary schools are already having early childhood and primary school in place.”
He said the Curriculum reform is already into its fifth year in the province.
The curriculum reform is a change from Outcome Based Curriculum ( OBC ) to Standard based curriculum (SBC ). The elementary and primary schools are already using SBC whilst high/secondary will start in 2022.
“ Training workshops have been conducted to selected secondary teachers and more training is expected before the end of 2021,” said Director Siangat.
The New Ireland Provincial Government under the leadership of Governor Sir Julius Chan sees Education as its top priority and since 2007 the enrolment retention rate for all school aged children from 25,000 to over 60,000 children in all sectors of education.
This is a big jump of over two and a half times as a result of the New Ireland Governments Free and Subsidised Education policy introduced in 2007.
There are currently 8 secondary schools and 3 high schools with an enrolment of over 18,000 students.
In 2022, New Hanover, Tanir and Nasko High Schools will enrol their first grade 11 classes. “
This will change their status to secondary. By 2022, New Ireland will have 11 secondary schools giving greater access to students attain Higher Secondary School certification in the province,” said Director Siangat.
New Ireland Education is focused on delivering NIPG key policies on total literacy by 2026 in line with the Malagan Declaration, Malagan Declaration Forward and New Ireland Declaration Forward to be internationally competitive.
New Ireland is currently ranked fourth in the country through its Mean Rating Index. New Ireland was second last in the country before the current Government took over in 2007. So this is a very big jump.