BY LORETTA B MANELE
Solomon Islands is the first country in the Pacific region to be awarded the System Transformation Grant (STG) under Global Partnership for Education (GPE).
Minister for Education, Tozen Leokana revealed this during the government’s launching of “Education System Capacity and Transformation Programs” supported by Global Partnership for Education (GPE), UNICEF and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) at the Heritage Park Hotel yesterday.
Leokana said the programs supported by GPE will help us to make better use of data across our education system and provide training to teachers to help them to teach more effectively than in the past years.
He added that this will also strengthen further access to curriculum materials including online resources that the ministry is aiming to make readily accessible to teachers and students.
Leokana expressed that it is pleasing to hear about developments in education and the shared commitments our development partners rendered to the country so that we can reform our education system for the betterment of our children’s learning.
He said the GNUT (Government for National Unity and Transformation) government is focusing on development of key areas and is committed, especially to invest in human capital development through quality education and skills improvement strategies.
“As a government, we believe that by equipping individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills, they are better prepared to contribute to the economy and society as a whole”
Leokana said this is a period of significant and exciting reform and development across all the education sectors in the country.
“The passing of the Education Act late last year and the start of its implementation this year, brings a new framework for how education is led, managed, coordinated and supported across all provinces”
“Developments are occurring across many parts of the education sector including the new initiatives being developed for Early Childhood Education (ECE), curriculum development, school infrastructure and a new project to support the improvement of Senior Secondary Education”
Leokana said the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) is also undertaking a mid-term review of the National Education Action Plan 2022-2026 after having implemented it for more than two and a half years.
“This review is intended to help inform our decisions and actions for implementation of the rest of the reform activities, projects and programs until the plan is concluded at the end of 2026”.
Speaking of the newly launched “Education System Capacity and Transformation Programs”, the minister for education took the opportunity to thank those who worked hard for this iniative.
“I would like to thank all those who worked hard to enable the proposal to be approved and acknowledge the abled leadership of PS Rodie in this process. This highlights the importance we all place on education for our children and the nation’s future”
“Today we acknowledge a key part of education development that focuses on what happens at the classroom level, with the support from GPE”
Leokana said he looks forward to receiving reports in the years ahead from his permanent secretary, Franco Rodie and his team from the MEHRD about the progress made as these programs get underway from 2025 as well as about the outcomes of improved learning that should follow.
