By Sylvester Gawi – EM TV, Lae
Sharon Mathias, the founder and coordinator of Morobe’s FODE Tutorial program, has responded to concerns raised over the delay in staging examinations for students at the institution.
Her response follows a report last night on EMTV News, which brought to light the issue of the students’ exams being delayed, and allegations of the Morobe FODE Tutorial being privately run.
She said that FODE tutorial was a newly established program in Lae; and was ‘left out of communications’ with the Port Moresby FODE Office. There were two meetings held with the FODE administrations in Port Moresby to establish the connection with the Lae establishment.
The students’ exams are now ready and are expected to arrive in Lae tomorrow.
She also brushed aside allegations that the tutorial program was privately run, stating that the FODE tutorial is an intervention program acquired by the division of education, for access and quality learning.
The program was initiated, by the Provincial Education Board and the Morobe provincial government, to alleviate the high number of school dropouts in the province.
Since the inception of the FODE tutorial program early this year, there has been a large number of enrolments by students who were mostly grade 8 and 10 school leavers, dropped out of the ‘formal’ education system.
Many of whom had felt, that they had no opportunities to further their formal education. These students are not only from Morobe, but included those from neighbouring provinces who have grasped the opportunities provided by the Morobe FODE Tutorial program.
The program has proven to be highly beneficial for students who have missed out on selections to further their studies in secondary schools, colleges and universities.
It has also been revealed that there are teachers who’d like to see the tutorial program rolled out in all secondary schools in the province.
To initiate this, the Morobe Provincial Government has made a commitment to fund the rollout program throughout the province; however the funding is yet to be made available, thus, resulting in the institute having to collect tuition fees to implement the program.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ASFrzXswnio%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
