Secondary Education

Students in Grades 9 to 12 achieve their individual potential to lead productive lives as members of the local, national and international community and partake of further quality education and training, having undertaken a broad range of subject and work related activities that can be used in everyday life.

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Quality Curriculum and Monitoring

The development of community based curriculum linked to the national curriculum will be encouraged. As stipulated in the national education Plan the DOE will provide technical assistance in the formulation of the locally based curriculum. The locally based curriculum will focus more on the technical secondary school. Selected technical officers in the province will be engaged to work with the DOE technical officers to

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Quality Staffing, Education and Training

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The province had 165 Secondary school teachers in the province at the time of implementing the reform in 1995. This increased significantly to 235 in 2005. There has been a 30 percent increase. Simbu has been recruiting UOG graduates with first degrees in recent years. As the number of degree holders increases the diploma holders will be gradually phased out. The DOE does not have any tangible programmes/policies to upgrade the qualifications of diploma holders however, Simbu Education board in recent years has released diploma holders while placed on funded positions to take up in-service courses at UOG to upgrade their qualifications.

Plan

Since independence Simbu has been emphasizing the development of the human resource which the province has in abundance. The province will continue to endeavor to use the limited resources made available to the Division to continue to place emphasis on human development. Establishment of new schools will be discouraged; however, existing lower secondary schools will be converted to upper secondary. The feasibility of building on the sites of existing Primary Schools to allow for a lower secondary education to be offered in a cost effective manner will be conducted.

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This study will look at all issues relating to such a policy including the financial, staffing and educational implications. The Plan also makes provision for technical training in secondary schools. This will be achieved through the conversion of existing Lower Secondary Schools or Primary Schools. A preparatory period of one to two years will be allowed and after an assessment is carried out and certified, the new conversion for lower technical secondary status will be granted and established. Lower Secondary Technical Schools offer core subjects and concurrently offer specialized technical courses. The Lower Secondary Technical Schools are anticipated to offer level one trade courses.

Management

The general management over the last decade was quite mediocre at the Provincial level. Concentration was centred on institution other than Secondary Schools. As a consequence infrastructure and maintenance have been neglected. Secondary school management staff teams were appointed on the basis of nepotism and individual demands were accepted.
Image 42 The schools lack discipline, and morale was low among our teachers until the current incumbent was appointed. Since the change of the Provincial Education Administration normalcy has been restored and the Division is moving forward with satisfying results. Administrations in secondary schools have come under control. Teachers will be appointed consistent with subject combinations and the allocation of teachers is equitable across the province.