08/04/2011

The Catholic Church’s education agency has been challenged to establish a secondary teachers training program to complement the one offered at the University of Goroka (UOG).
Acting Education Secretary, Dr Joseph Pagelio made the call during the National Catholic Education Convention at Divine Word University (DWU) in Madang on Monday 28th March.
Dr Pagelio said it was “unhealthy” to rely on one provider (UOG).
“The University of Goroka (UOG) is the only institution that currently trains secondary teachers in significant numbers.
“Much as I respect the UOG, I do not believe that it is a healthy situation to be wholly dependent on just one provider,” said Dr Pagelio.
He challenged the Catholic Church to come up with an alternate secondary teacher training program to back up what the UOG offers.
“This (new secondary teacher training) may be here at DWU.
“It may be at a college of DWU or it may at a totally new institution but I look forward to entering into discussion with you (the Catholic Education Agency) in this regard,” Dr Pagelio said.
DWU already offers various study programs for secondary and high school teachers through the Education Faculty mostly in the flexible learning mode.
Dr Pagelio said his department was concerned about the rapid expansion of secondary schools nationwide as this had implications on the supply of quality teachers.
 “We cannot afford to compromise the quality in exchange for rapidly increasing access to upper levels of our (education) system,” said Dr Pagelio.
Dr Pagelio said the “Schools of Excellence” of five nominated secondary schools announced by the Minister for Education, James Marape two years  ago“ are not the complete answer” to yielding and sustaining quality.
“In particular, where are we going to get our teachers from?
He said quality teachers are the key to a quality education.
Ends/