by Michelle Amba – EM TV, Port Moresby
Education Minister, Nick Kuman today told parliament that the ‘two-six-six’ reform will be fully implemented next year.
The two-six-six reform decrees two years in elementary, six years in primary, and six years in secondary education.
Once the reform is in effect, a child entering the education system will leave the system after 18 years. However, parliament house was told that the department does not have any plans to change the curriculum.
The matter was brought up, in answer to a question raised by Central Province Governor, Kila Haoda.
Governor Haoda wanted to know the status of national high schools; seeing that the introduction of the ‘two-six-six’ reform would eventuate in national high schools in Papua New Guinea, becoming obsolete.
Minister Kuman responded, saying that the status of national high schools are to be reviewed, prior to the two-six-six reform being fully implemented in 2016. Before this policy is implemented, all national high schools will retain their school of excellence statuses.
A supplementary question was raised by the member for Anglimp South Waghi, Komun Joe Koim, on whether the government had any plans to introduce a new curriculum, to accompany the reform.
In response, Minister Kuman asked members of parliament to partner with the department to deliver quality education. He said the new policy is to address the increasing number of dropouts each year.
The minister said, this year there were 19,000 grade 12 dropouts, who did not secure places at tertiary institutions.
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