PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT Suva, Fiji Islands PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM BASIC EDUCATION ACTION PLAN - 2001 Auckland, New Zealand 15 May 2001 Preamble Ministers of Education of the Pacific Islands Forum met in Auckland on the 14th and 15th of May 2001, as directed by Forum Leaders in Palau in November 1999, to consider issues related to human resource development in the Forum region. 2. The meeting was chaired by the Honourable Young Vivian, Minister of Education for Niue. Ministers from Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga attended the meeting, with Australia, Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu and Vanuatu also represented. Observers from the ADB, DFID (UK), UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, SPC, SPREP and the USP were present. 3. Ministers deliberated on issues concerning the delivery of basic education to the peoples of the Pacific. Education Ministers noted that Leaders, in calling for this meeting, had asked them to consider the work of the Forum Economic Ministers in the area of human resources development, whose deliberations are set out in Annex 1. Pacific Vision for Basic Education 4. Ministers recognised that basic education is the fundamental building block for society. If this foundation is weak, then livelihoods are more difficult to pursue or students struggle in the higher reaches of education. Furthermore, through the teaching of health, culture, governance and other subjects basic education can engender the broader life skills that lead to social cohesion and which, when combined with an enhancing of employment opportunities, creates a higher level of personal and societal security. 5. As a first step Ministers agreed on the following as the vision and goals for Forum members: Vision Basic education as the fundamental building block for society should engender the broader life skills that lead to social cohesion and provide the foundations for vocational callings, higher education and life long learning. These when combined with enhanced employment opportunities create a higher level of personal and societal security and development. Forum members recognised that development of basic education takes place in the context of commitments to the world community and meeting the new demands of the global economy, which should be balanced with the enhancement of their own distinctive Pacific values, morals, social, political, economic and cultural heritages, and reflect the Pacific's unique geographical context. Goal To achieve universal and equitable educational participation and achievement. To ensure access and equity and improve quality and outcomes. 6. In adopting this Vision Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the Dakar 2000 Education for All Framework for Action goals and noted the actions being taken at the national level for the development of strategic plans. These goals are: Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children. Ensuring that by 2015 all children, with special emphasis on girls and children in difficult circumstances and from ethnic minorities have access to and complete free and compulsory primary education of good quality. Ensuring that learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programmes. Achieving a 50% improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults. Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls' full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality. Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence for all, so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. 7. In addition Ministers committed themselves to the following specific strategies: The promotion of different forms of secondary and vocational education. To review the curricula of training centres and non-formal education programmes to match skills taught (outcomes) with the requirements for employment and livelihood in the traditional subsistence economy. Develop non-formal education and work-based programmes in cooperation with civil society and the private sector. Promote the role of civil society in providing non-formal skills training. Where to Now? 8. Ministers noted that while basic education has been a priority in the region, this has not been turned fully into effective action. While recognising that some countries have made progress, and that the severity of problems with basic education varies significantly between countries, it appears that significant gains could be made through Forum members sharing their experiences - both successes and failures - in basic education. Ministers also noted the potential for sharing resources - particularly for inputs into basic education system - across the region. National and Regional Development Context 9. Ministers recognised that basic education has, by its nature, very broad and strong impacts on the potential for private sector development and for the success of students pursuing higher education. But it should also be acknowledged that it is a very intensive user of manpower and financial resources. The goals set for basic education and the strategies to be followed therefore need to be well integrated with national planning policies and planning frameworks. 10. Ministers therefore agreed that there is an urgent need for each country, in line with national development goals and commitments, to improve basic educational planning, through clearly identifying desired basic educational outcomes and the learning needs of individuals and groups in that society. To this end it was further agreed that: * national planning for universal and equitable educational participation must take into account; * the cultural, moral, social, political and economic contexts of education; * the inter-relationships of the various levels of educational provisions and institutions. * in order to develop sound policy and planning frameworks it is essential to improve; * data and information collection and retrieval systems to provide accurate, timely, and relevant data for informed policy decisions; * the capacity of national systems to develop coherent national educational plans through high level training of key personnel and strengthening of the human and material resources of planning units; * that Ministers of Education consider the setting up of a regional qualifications framework, covering basic, primary, secondary, TVET and tertiary education, benchmarked against appropriate international standards and qualifications. Delivery and Resourcing of Basic Education 11. Ministers acknowledged that there are weaknesses in education systems as indicated by drop-out and repeater figures and in terms of basic literacy and numeracy achievements. The school curricula, despite attempts at redirecting these to vocational needs, remain largely academic and do not fully meet needs of all Pacific students. The identified weaknesses in education systems can be summarised as: * alienation and poor performance of students, the result of: * the quality and number (relative to student numbers) of teachers; * the relevance and lack of Pacific foundation of the curriculum; and * poor or unresponsive departmental and school managements; * poor resourcing of basic education, which could be overcome through: * re-prioritise education and national government spending; * improving the effectiveness of education spending; and * developing partnerships with CSOs, NGOs and the private sector. 12. Ministers identified an urgent need to address the provision of education to deliver better quality development and education outcomes, which has implications for the whole process of education, and requires policy, planning, and resources to achieve improvements in: * the competence and confidence of teachers with relevant skills and knowledge: curriculum programmes; the quality and relevance of teaching materials; teaching methods and learning styles; school management and culture; the relationships with communities and stakeholders; the quality of school buildings; assessment procedures, which should be valid and reliable; the participation of all stakeholders in the planning and delivery of education. Improving Quality in Basic Education 13. In reviewing the elements affecting the quality of education, Ministers further agreed on the following measures: (a) Early Childhood Education That while continuing with collaborative efforts with NGOs, church and community organisations in providing ECE to pre-school age children, government should address resource requirements for ECE teacher training and assess how ECE teachers can obtain appropriate status and conditions of employment. (b) Pre-Service Teacher Education That upgrading of pre-service training programmes, staffing and resources at the training institutions that is either in process or is being anticipated in most training institutions, be fully addressed as a matter of priority. That induction for beginning teachers is formalised involving teacher training institutions, CDUs, field staff and schools. That small island states that do not have their own training institutions consider establishing teachers' centres to be used for complementary training of local trainees who are undertaking USP and other institutions' extension courses in Education as a route to a teacher qualification. A substantive position of a co-ordinator of the teachers' centre be established and filled by a qualified teacher educator who would also supervise school-based training of trainees. (c) In-Service Teacher Education That existing data bases be further utilised to generate teacher supply projections where necessary and plans be implemented to train all untrained teachers as soon as practicable. That upgrading programmes be considered for serving teachers who are found to be partially trained as assessed against the level of pre-service training currently being offered in most FIC primary training institutions. That intensive in-service course targeting specific needs to teachers such as proficiency in English and skills in multi-class teaching be mounted in countries where teachers need such courses. (d) Classroom Teaching In accordance with the local database on the conditions that exist in school sin terms of the quality of classrooms and physical facilities, attention be paid to upgrading those classrooms which are currently impoverished and provide a sub-standard educational environment for teaching and learning. Community Support That the current initiatives in promoting the active involvement of the school community in the affairs of the school be strengthened in order to enhance the quality of facilities and teaching-learning resources. (...Continued) For additional information, contact: Ulafala Aiavao at UlafalaA@forumsec.org.fj < mailto:UlafalaA@forumsec.org.fj> SOURCE: Pacific Islands Report
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