FORUM SECRETARIAT
PIFS(01)FEDA.03


FORUM EDUCATION MINISTERS’
FIRST MEETING
Auckland, New Zealand
14 – 15 May 2001



ISSUES PAPER


BASIC EDUCATION IN THE PACIFIC:
FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGY







The attached paper, prepared by the Forum Secretariat, summaries all the background
papers for the meeting and brings together their conclusions as recommendations for
consideration by Ministers. It will be referred to during all meeting sessions.











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PIFS(01)FEDA.03

ISSUES PAPER

BASIC EDUCATION IN THE PACIFIC:
FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGY

PURPOSE


This paper summarises the issues raised in, and recommendations arising
from, the background papers for the Forum Education Ministers meeting.

2.
The context of this meeting is addressed first, through the mandate endorsed
by Forum Leaders at Palau in November 1999, a discussion of the development
environment and of the challenges facing the region in developing a basic education
policy that will meet the national priorities and needs of Forum Island countries.

3.
The sections that follow after the first refer specifically to the two substantive
Sessions of the Education Ministers Meeting, during which the key background
papers are considered. These sections outline some strategies that could improve
current provision of basic education and provide the full list of recommendations
arising from the various papers before Ministers.

CONTEXT AND MANDATE

4.
Basic education should be viewed as the fundamental building block for
society. It lays the foundation for either a vocational calling or for pursuing education
to higher levels - the critical decision that is made by people in their mid teens - as
well as life-long learning. If this foundation is weak, then livelihoods are more
difficult to pursue or students struggle in the higher reaches of education. However,
the impact of basic education goes beyond this. Through the teaching of health,
culture, governance, geography and so on it can generate the broader life skills that
lead to social cohesion which, when combined with an enhancing of employment
opportunities, creates a higher level of personal and social security.

5.
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss basic education frameworks and
strategies that will deliver the highest possible quality of basic education to the
peoples of the Pacific through addressing the delivery of education services and how
this might be best resourced.

Mandate

6.
The primary Vision for the Forum arises from the Leaders meeting in Madang
in 1995, which focussed on the theme of "Securing Development Beyond 2000", and
adopted, for the 25 years to 2020, a Forum Vision Statement for enhancing regional
cooperation (see Annex 1).


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7.
This was intended to significantly strengthen the region's capacity to adapt to a
rapidly changing international and regional environment. A number of national policy
measures and regionally based activities which would contribute to the vision were
also adopted, including endorsement of the preparation of a regional strategy designed
to improve aid management and regional cooperation.

8.
In-country consultations carried out as part of the resultant Regional Strategy
process confirmed that improvement in the quality of life is the key goal for Members,
with enhanced economic growth as the fundamental basis for achieving this. While
bearing in mind the differences in conditions of PICs and their struggle to achieve the
right balance between growth, equity and environmental sustainability, the
development goal for the Regional Strategy is:
“Sustainable Economic Growth Leading to Improvements in the
Quality of Life for the Peoples of the Pacific Islands

9.
The Regional Strategy is given effect by addressing constraints through ten key
sector strategies, being: Good Governance, Education, Transport & Communication,
Energy, Land Resources Management, Marine Resources Management, Economic
Sector Development (Private Sector Development and Tourism Development), Health
and Population, Water Supply and Sanitation, and Environmental Sustainability. In
respect of education, the aims and strategies (see also Annex 2) are:
"... to enhance productive capacities and provides a means to address the lack of an
enabling environment as it relates to the inadequate skills base. Attention should be
paid to:
• developing alternative strategies to improve resourcing of education, including
partnerships with NGOs, community-based organisations and the private sector in
the financing and delivery of education.
• rationalising investment in educational infrastructure to avoid proliferation of
poorly used and serviced primary schools and the spread of expensive post-
secondary institutions through a low population region.
• Using distance education to overcome the isolation and scattered nature of the
region, including building on existing initiatives such as those of USP and
adapting new technologies to the needs of the region."

10.
Implementation of the economic and development strategies to give effect to
the Leaders' vision has largely fallen to the Forum Economic Ministers, meeting
annually since 1997. Economic Ministers have taken a holistic approach, identifying
factors that might constrain the sustainable development of the Pacific region, but
then asking that appropriate Ministers deal with specific issues. This has occurred in
respect of trade, aviation, communication, and now education.

11.
Education issues were specifically considered by Economic Ministers at their
meeting in Apia, Samoa in 1999. As a result of the Economic Ministers meetings and
the Forum Economic Action Plan : 1999 Review, the Forum Island Leaders, at Palau
in November 1999, agreed:
"13.
….. to an ad-hoc meeting of Forum Ministers of Education to consider
the results of the work that Forum Economic Ministers have commissioned to be
undertaken in the area of human resources development."



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12.
In coming to this decision Forum Leaders had reviewed the deliberations of
Economic Ministers in 1999, who had reported to Forum that:
"26.
…… there is a need to ensure that priorities are set such that economic
and social development and our other strategic objectives will be effectively
targeted. One such universal objective is the development of human resources in
support of sustainable economic development. This requires, in turn, a refocusing
of formal and informal education activities to better support the private sectors’
needs through widening employment opportunities.
27.
Accordingly, we have reviewed the current status and situation of both
formal and informal education throughout the region, and have considered
priorities for human resource development that best meet the regions’ strategic
development objectives. We agree that:
(i) high priority be given to education in planning and budgeting;
(ii) increased emphasis is required on the foundation of training and education
at the level of basic formal education.
28.
We also consider that continuing efforts are required to bolster human
resource development efforts and to this end direct the Secretariat to identify and
to work with CROP and other relevant agencies:
(i) to undertake further research in the delivery of basic level education in
forum countries and define the scope for involving the private sector
(including civil society and non-government organisations) in the delivery
of formal and non-formal education;
(ii) to assist with the development of national human resource development and
education strategic planning.
29.
We agree to convening an ad hoc meeting of Forum Ministers of
Education and that this meeting consider the results of the work that we have
directed be undertaken in the area of human resource development."

Overview of Issues

13.
A primary concern across the region is how to better meet the needs and
aspirations of the upcoming generation. The UNDP notes that 20% of the region’s
population is aged between 15 to 24 years – a total of 1.4 million, which is expected
to rise by a further 300,000 by the year 2010. Many school leavers find they have
inadequate or inappropriate skills for the few waged jobs that are available, for
agricultural work or for other types of livelihood. Most lack opportunities to upgrade
their skills because too few non-formal training programmes are available.

14.
Despite these needs the situation of education in the Pacific, while varying
from country to country, is generally weak and deteriorating:
• Literacy rates, while statistically high, have been found to be suspect, and
the Melanesian countries lag behind other Pacific island countries in terms
of adult literacy and mean years of schooling.
• Though school enrolment rates are generally high, recent regional tests
show relatively low levels of achievement at the primary level in language,
computation and scientific skills. A large proportion of primary school
leavers (up to 40%) are at risk of not continuing their schooling.


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• At the secondary level, the evidence is that standards are well below those
of the Pacific Rim countries. Many Pacific islanders who go overseas for
senior secondary or tertiary study have to undergo preparatory work before
embarking on their courses of study - even so, the failure rates are high.
• Rapid population growth has led to increased pressure to expand education
systems. This has contributed to severe teacher and teaching material
shortages, especially at primary level.
The poor quality of educational outputs reflects the problems of access by
remote regions and/or islands and by certain sections of the population .

15.
A significant factor is the weakness in basic education, which leads to wastage
at the secondary and tertiary levels and at training. The basics of literacy, science,
mathematics and ethics have to be learned or inculcated in young people if they are to
be productive and responsive to new opportunities at the later stage. Evidence also
points to a clear correlation between strong basic education on one hand and
improvements in technical skills uptake, in work and social adaptation, and in other
social indicators of better health, nutrition and reduced fertility.

16.
In this context it is unfortunate that the current financing of education in the
Pacific tends to be weighted towards secondary and post-secondary education at the
expense of basic education (most Forum Island Countries spend less than 50% of total
educational expenditure on primary education, some spending as little as 20 - 30%).

Cultural and Legal Context

17.
Education will influence the kind of society Pacific peoples create for
themselves. The vision Pacific nations have for their peoples is partly defined by their
membership in the international community, but a large measure also comes from
their own unique histories and cultural heritages as well as from the development
challenges they are facing.

18.
Examination of national constitutions and strategic planning documents show
that all Pacific governments have, by-and-large, adopted the principles agreed to
under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other UN instruments, under
which the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, equality under the law, and
social justice are guaranteed.

19.
These rights and freedoms presuppose, however, not only certain conditions,
such as political stability and national security, economic prosperity and socio-cultural
cohesiveness but specific institutions and structures and value systems. Pacific nations
are today, for instance, aspiring not only to good governance, transparency and
accountability in the political sphere, but to achieve this within a democratic
framework, in which the rights and freedoms of the individual are paramount.

20.
However, Pacific countries, with their multitude of cultures, ethnic groups,
and languages, have evolved over the centuries their own political, economic, cultural
and social systems, which have given them their unique characteristics and identities.
These are important for social cohesion but nonetheless need to be melded in with the
adopted values and institutions of modern times. It is this combination that will shape
the kinds of societies Pacific peoples build for themselves.


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21.
Nonetheless, the attempts by Pacific nations and their peoples to achieve
balance between becoming part of the international community and globalisation and
the continuing maintenance and enhancement of their own distinctive cultures and
identities have thrown up a number of common challenges. How Pacific nations
manage these challenges and their success will contribute to the shaping of their
national and collective vision for their future.

Socio-Economic Context

22.
During the 1990s dramatic changes occurred within the Pacific, stimulated by
long-term international and regional trends, such as globalisation, deteriorating terms
of trade, rising external debt and unsustainable development policies, and by more
short-term developments such as the financial crisis in Asia. The security and stability
of several Pacific Island countries consequently declined, marked by growing
unemployment, poverty, social disintegration and widening income differentials.

23.
The overarching issue facing the Pacific islands is globalisation. This is not a
new phenomenon – even at independence Pacific island countries had strong global
connections through reliance on imports, their exporting activities and movement of
persons. Since then these global interactions have intensified – consumption of
imports has increased with incomes, the range of exports has widened, including into
services such as tourism and offshore financial centres, international
telecommunications has expanded and entertainment services from the rest of the
world (film, video, music, among others) has become more popular, labour services
have expanded and migration flows have increased (with an attendant rise in the
importance of remittance flows).

24.
Over the past decade the intensity of globalisation has increased through, first,
technological change, particularly with the internet, and second, increased pressure to
accept international norms for the regulation of a wide range of activities, such as the
OECD’s harmful tax competition initiative and pressures for liberalisation of trade
and domestic commercial markets. While recognising that globalisation, widely
defined, provides opportunities, it has also accelerated change – causing social
insecurity – and bringing with it greater pressures on local culture and traditions.

25.
While the technological changes driving the recent intensification of
globalisation has great potential for enhancing economic and social interactions with
the rest of the world, the Pacific nations remain hampered by their characteristics of
smallness, isolation and vulnerability in taking full advantage of such opportunities.
There is, therefore, an increasing risk of marginalisation as the rest of the world
changes more rapidly. Reducing the risk of marginalisation requires assistance in:
• enhancing the availability and quality of education to give individuals the
capital required to interact meaningfully with the rest of the world;
• addressing the so-called “digital divide” (which reflects many other older
“divides”), which is particularly intense for the more isolated communities
within the Pacific island countries;
• providing the extra skills and capacities that are required to deal with the
shift in regulatory policies from the domestic into the global arena.



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26.
It is important also to recognize a great diversity among the Pacific islands in
their stages of development. For example, constraints and opportunities facing a
remote micro-state such as Kiribati vary significantly from, for example, Papua New
Guinea. Thus policy options and approaches will need to be tailored to country
circumstances. The characteristics that have important implications for development
include:
Remoteness and insularity: being located far from major markets and
comprising widely dispersed multi-island micro-states, resulting in high
international and domestic transportation costs.
Susceptibility to natural disasters: being frequently affected by adverse
climatic and other natural events which, typically, affect the entire
population and economy.
Small population size: many states are limited by small population size as
it effects institutional capacity and increases unit costs of services, and also
limits the potential for private sector growth and investment.
Limited diversification: a narrow resource base and small domestic
markets necessarily results in relatively undiversified production and
export activities and also limits capacity in the private sector.
Openness: heavy reliance on external trade and foreign investment to
overcome inherent scale and resource limitations leaves states vulnerable
to external economic and environmental shocks.

27.
Despite these factors a number of the Pacific island countries have achieved
high average per capita incomes relative to other developing countries. However,
poverty remains a serious challenge. For those countries for which data are available
poverty rates are higher than that which would be expected in countries with the same
per capita income. This corresponds with anecdotal evidence that the multi-island
nature of some states is associated with an uneven distribution of income, with the
bulk of economic activity concentrated in capitals.

Table 1: Human Development and Poverty Indices
Country
Human Development Index (1) Human Poverty Index (2)
Palau

0.861

10.8
Cook Islands

0.822

6.1
Niue

0.774

4.8
Fiji Islands

0.667

8.5
Nauru

0.663

12.1
Tonga

0.647

5.9
Samoa

0.590

8.6
Tuvalu

0.583

7.3
Federated States of Micronesia

0.569

26.7
Marshall Islands

0.563

19.5
Kiribati

0.515

12.6
Vanuatu

0.425

46.4
Solomon Islands

0.371

49.1
Papua New Guinea

0.314

52.2
AVERAGE

0.597

19.3
(1) Higher values indicate higher levels of human development.
(2) Lower values indicate lower human poverty.
Source: UNDP, Pacific Human Development Report, 1999


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28.
The UNDP Human Development Report 1999 notes that poverty of
opportunity is a more encompassing image of poverty in the Pacific. This is borne out
in many ways, such as rapid emigration from some countries, high but disguised
unemployment, and a small but emerging subculture of youth crime and despair,
including extraordinarily high level of youth suicide in some parts of the region.

29.
Young people are especially at risk of unemployment. In some countries up to
seven times as many young people are seeking work each year as there are new jobs
available. Women are also disadvantaged in the job market. Although their numbers
have grown over the past decade, women workers are at a general disadvantage
through their lesser access to vocational and higher formal education and because they
are usually lower paid, lower ranked and less often promoted than men.

Pacific Vision for Education

30.
From the previous discussion it can be inferred that the ultimate purpose of
development in the region is the successful harmonisation of the old and the new,
indigenous and international, the dissolution of the current dissonance between the
two and the creation of a seamless blend that is uniquely Pacific. The questions that
arise then are: what does education mean within this context and what are its
purposes? The answers would assist in identifying the principles underlying a Pacific
vision for education.

31.
The six educational goals of the Dakar World Education for All Forum Frame-
work for Action (see paper PIFS(01)FEDA.09) represent principles applicable to
development but interpreted through the experience of the last half of the 20th century.

32.
The Dakar Education for All reaffirmed that education is a fundamental
human right. It further reaffirmed that achieving EFA goals should be postponed no
longer, and that basic education needs must be met as a matter of urgency. The Dakar
Framework for Action committed Governments, organisations, agencies and groups to
the achievement of education for all goals and targets for every citizen and for every
society. Key recommendations include:
• Eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education, achieve
gender equality and access to basic education for all by 2015.
• Direct urgent attention to the many who have no access to primary
education. A significant portion of the adults (especially in Melanesia) are
illiterate and the quality learning and the acquisition of human values and
skills fall far short of the aspirations and needs of individuals and societies.
Youth and adults are denied access to the skills and knowledge necessary
for gainful employment and to be able to participate fully in economic and
nation building in their respective societies.
• Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence
of all so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved
by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.
• Review national financial commitments with the view to step up
investment in basic education.



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33.
Other relevant decisions in international fora include:
International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education (Seoul 1999)
The Seoul International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and the review by
the secretariat of the FICs education strategic activities desire the re-focusing of formal and
informal as well as non-formal education activities to better support the private sectors’ skills
requirements and employment opportunities.
Convention on the Right of the Child
All but two Forum Island countries have acceded to this international agreement which
recognises that Education is essential for all children in the following:
Ø Making primary education compulsory and available free to all.
Ø Promoting the different forms of Secondary and Vocational Education and making higher
education accessible to all.
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
All but three FICs have acceded to the ICPD, and have pledged to:
Ø Achieve universal access to quality education, with particular priority to primary and
technical education and job training.
Ø Combat illiteracy and eliminate gender disparities in access to, retention in and support
for education.
Ø Promote non-formal education for all young people.
Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
Half the members of the Forum have acceded and agreed to:
Ø Ensuring equal access to education
Ø Eradicating illiteracy among women
Ø Improving women’s access to vocational training
Ø Allocating sufficient resources to monitor the implementation of educational reforms.
Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development (CDSD)
All but four FICs have acceded to CDSD and have declared:
Ø The right of all children to education
Ø That education of the child is directed to developing his personality, talents, and mental
and physical abilities.
Suva Declaration on Sustainable Human Development in the Pacific
This declaration by the Forum Leaders in 1994 pledged to:
Ø 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.
Ø Develop non-formal education and work-based programmes in cooperation with the
private sector.
Ø Promote the role of NGOs in providing non-formal skills training as well as community-
based education.

34.
A vision of Pacific education encompasses that already defined in conjunction
with the world community, but it must of necessity be also a response to a vision of
Pacific countries for their people’s, which include the maintenance and enhancement
of their own distinctive values, and social, political, economic, and cultural heritages;
and the development of the capacities that could create balance between these and
those promoted and adopted at the international level. It is education not only for the
survival of Pacific communities but for their transformation as well to become equal
partners with other members of the global community.


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SESSION 1 : WHERE TO NOW?

The Status of Pacific Education Today

35.
The role education is expected to play in this process of survival and
transformation is enormously challenging. An education system that is based on the
new vision for education is expected to address issues of access, equity, quality and
life-long learning for all, maintain and enhance the Pacific’s unique heritages, and
contribute to the realisation of human rights, political stability, economic prosperity,
social and cultural cohesiveness.

36.
At the same time it is necessary to address the best ways and means to deliver
education, clearly identify its outcomes and how it could adequately measure these,
and what resources are necessary to achieve this all this. A brief examination of
Pacific education today will serve three purposes: to demonstrate the extent to which
the present system is able to serve the new vision of education; to identify any gaps
and shortfalls in the system; and to point to possible areas where it could be improved
to better meet the needs and expectations of the new vision.

Recent Developments

37.
The last decade has seen changes take place in Pacific education, namely:
Pacific governments and donors invested substantially in education in
attempts to widen access, reduce inequalities, improve quality and
relevancy, and increase the number of better-educated and skilled human
resources needed for development;
• More schools were built and equipped in both rural and urban areas;
• Some governments invested in early childhood education and those with
physical and learning disabilities;
• Resources were invested in the education and training of teachers and
improving their conditions of service;
• New vocational and technical programmes were established and more
support was given to non-formal education programmes in attempts to
better meet the needs of adults and life-long education;
• Revised and new curricula more relevant and appropriate to Pacific
contexts and individual needs were developed and taught in schools;
• More books, equipment, and classroom resources to support the new
curriculum changes were put in schools;
• Improved school and national management systems were put in place;
• New assessment procedures that reflected the new directions in curriculum
development were adopted; and
• Newly formulated education corporate plans are being implemented.

38.
The results of these investments are encouraging. Data from the Pacific
Regional EFA report show that access to education at all levels, but particularly at the
primary level, has improved. All except three governments have claimed universal
primary education, although it is yet to be free. Participation, retention, completion,


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and educational attainment rates for the whole population have improved, as have
teachers’ academic and professional qualifications and conditions of service.

39.
A wider variety of delivery modes are being used, particularly in non-formal
education programmes. Governments have strengthened partnerships with non-
government organisations and communities to widen access and improve the delivery
of education. Some attempts have also been made to broaden the outcomes of
education in some countries by including civics and values education for citizenship
in the formal curriculum. More countries are using their own indigenous languages as
a medium of instruction in the early years of primary education and beyond.

Challenges

40.
However, disparities in terms of gender, rural-urban areas, funding and
resources, performance and outcomes are more difficult to resolve and continue to
varying degrees in the region. Such disparities are exacerbated by poverty and other
social and cultural variables. The quality of education, in terms of the quality of
teachers, curriculum, relevancy, resources, teaching and learning styles, management
systems, assessment procedures, and performance and outcomes, continue to be below
expectations.

41.
Academic failure in the region is significant as measured by drop-out and
repeater figures and in terms of basic literacy and numeracy achievements.
Unemployed youth, alienated and disaffected by their formal education, is increasing,
in societies where at least 50% of the population are under 21 years of age. The school
curricula, despite attempts at redirecting these to vocational needs, remain largely
academic and fail to meet needs of Pacific students and their communities and thus
the outcomes of schooling do not match the needs of development and the vision of
Pacific societies.

42.
Schools and systems continue to be inefficient and ineffective. The
achievement of quality education therefore remains a challenge despite its purported
importance for the region, the high priority accorded it in development plans and the
significant investments by governments, donors and communities.

43.
The provision of basic education is affected by political, economic and social
and cultural factors and constraints, all of which need to be understood before any
reforms can be effectively implemented.

44.
Political decisions impinge on all the other variables affecting access, equity
and quality. They affect the geographical distribution and kinds of institutions
provided; allocation of funds to each level and program; the deployment of physical
and human resources, such as teachers, their training, conditions of service and
remuneration; the kind of curricula taught in schools, their emphases and orientation;
the style and culture of management in schools; and even the relationships between
educational institutions and their clients, and the level of community participation and
input to the education process.



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45.
The importance of the political factors in respect to access, equity and quality
cannot, therefore, be sufficiently stressed. Without political commitment to universal
access to basic education (as stated at the World Education for All Forum in Dakar)
and to increasing access and opportunities at the higher levels of education, many of
the obstacles that constrain participation, particularly those affecting disadvantaged
groups, will not be effectively addressed.

46.
The economic factors centre on the fact that education is a costly enterprise at
the individual and the national level. Access and equity in basic education are
dependent on the economic capacity of countries. Countries with fragile and
vulnerable economies sometimes have to make very difficult choices concerning
priorities in basic education. These choices should, however, be made in the light of
the rewards that will be returned.

47.
The social and cultural environment influences the value placed on, and the
efforts directed toward, achievement by individuals in the education system. The
attitudes of the whole society as well as sub-groups and the individuals comprising
them need, therefore, to be understood if the issue of equity in educational
participation is to be successfully addressed.

48.
Perceptions of the benefits of education by groups and individuals will also be
based on the abilities of the institutions themselves to provide meaningful and
worthwhile educational services in terms that are considered appropriate and relevant
by such groups and individuals. These include, for example:
the quality of school buildings, teachers and materials;
• curriculum programs;
• management and organisation;
• effective relationships with communities;
• valid and reliable assessment procedures,

Where to Now?

49:
Forum Island Countries are already investing substantially in education and
some notable successes have been achieved despite the severe economic constraints
they have faced in implementing educational reforms. However, it is clear that the
role and outcomes envisaged are not being fully achieved. It is also clear that the
availability of resources, both human and material, will continue to be constrained for
the foreseeable future. However, even within this limitation some strategies could be
developed and implemented which could bring about the desired outcomes for
education. In this context there is a requirement to make a concerted effort to:
• broaden educational outcomes to establish policy and planning
frameworks which meet national development goals;
• deliver education across basic educational sectors in partnership with Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs), and the private sector (paper
PIFS(01)FEDA.15 refers);
• resource quality basic education (paper PIFS(01)FEDA.12 refers).



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Broadening the Outcomes of Education

50.
The vision of Pacific nations for the future goes far beyond elementary
requirements. So far basic education in the region has remained fixated - though not
necessarily with success - on formal primary education and the development of
literacy and numeracy skills. If basic education is also about human rights and
democracy, good governance and equity, the maintenance and enhancement of Pacific
heritages, and participating in the global community, then the contents of education,
the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values taught and learned as part of basic
education must reflect these purposes.

Introducing Concepts of ‘Governance’ Into Education

51.
Governance has become an increasingly important facet of economic
development theory as a consequence of more pure economics oriented development
policy having generally failed (except in East and South East Asia) over the past five
decades. This failure led to an exploration as to what was missing from the
development “paradigm”: the answer has turned out to be lack of good governance.

52.
In practical terms this has meant an insecure environment for economic
players – whether these be domestic or foreign investors, resource owners or the
labour force – to pursue income generating activities. This encompasses fair and
equitable access (not partial or favoured) to opportunities to undertake income-
generating activities, certainty as to the relevant laws and regulations and the certainty
that laws and regulations will be enforced. Without these elements economic players
will be reluctant to play a role and income-generating opportunities will thus be
limited, and at the extreme, non-existent.

53.
Across the Pacific security interests, and perceptions of security, differ widely,
but have been heightened by the crises in Fiji and Solomon Islands in 2000. The main
situations that have involved overt conflict in the Pacific in the past twenty years all
involve at least four common elements: ethnic differences; land disputes; economic
disparities; and a lack of confidence in the government’s ability to resolve differences
fairly or satisfactorily

54.
Concepts of governance can be delivered through formal basic education
through a number of traditional curricula, particularly history and social studies, and
can be reinforced in many other ways. The key is ensuring that, first, the curriculum
covers the relevant material, second, that teachers are aware of and can teach this
material, and third, that the resource materials are available.

55.
In developed countries there has been a significant increase in the emphasis on
preparing children to participate fully in their societies. This has given rise to more
wide spread “civics” curriculums that cover both citizen rights and responsibilities.
These are an important element in not only delivering knowledge on governance but
also introducing the concept of “good governance”.

56.
To achieve stability and cohesiveness in societies, the preconditions for
economic prosperity, all individuals must become fully participatory members of their
societies. It makes sense, therefore, for the education system to make sure that such


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elements are competently learnt by all individuals and it is only from this base of
security that individuals acquire the confidence to add on other skills, values, and
knowledge which they need to become members of the larger society and the
international community.

57.
Much of the work on basic education for good governance is undertaken
outside of the formal frameworks of school systems in FICs. There is a distinct
separation of that which is considered core school curricular and extra-curricular
activities and while principles of governance are duly acknowledged as essential to
building civic pride and good citizenship, the focus in delivery, skills development
and value orientations are given minimal time slots in the school week. Given that
indigenous education prepares people for community participation, community values
and spirituality, the partnerships between the formal and non formal providers of basic
education should be strengthened to better integrate the good governance component
in current programs.

National and Regional development goals

58.
There is need for each country, in line with national development goals and
commitments, to clearly identify desired basic educational outcomes and the learning
needs of individuals and groups in that society. Although such an exercise is
important for all countries, it is particularly important in multicultural, multiethnic and
multilingual societies where some consensus will have to be achieved as to the
common core elements of education that all individuals must learn and the additional
aspects specific to each group.

59.
The relationship between education and developmental goals and the larger
vision of society is complex. While planning processes in the region have improved
considerably in the last decade, there is still an urgent need to improve educational
planning and to give due recognition to the complexity of the educational process and
the range of educational providers which need to participate in it. National planning
for universal and equitable basic educational participation must take due cognizance
of the cultural, social, political and economic contexts of each nation, the
interdependence of these and the inter-relationships of the various levels of
educational provisions and institutions.

60.
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 on which informed policy decisions can be made.
Improvements in the capacity of national systems to develop coherent national
educational plans is a further priority, and will require high level training of key
personnel and strengthening of the human and material resources of planning units,
for example, make use of new information technology.

Conclusions

61.
The papers for this session highlight that while basic education has been a
priority, this has not been turned fully into effective action in the region. While some
countries have made progress, and the severity of problems with basic education
varies significantly between countries, it appears that significant gains could be made


14


through Forum members sharing their experiences - both successes and failures - in
this area. In addition the possibility of sharing resources - particularly for inputs into
basic education system - across the region might be explored. To give focus to such
efforts and to strategies that Ministers might agree (see paragraph 50) on during the
course of the meeting, Ministers may wish to consider adopting an overall set of goals
for basic education for the region.

62.
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. It is, however, also a very intensive user of manpower (for teachers)
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, as discussed in paragraphs 58 to 60 above. Ministers may wish
to consider a resolution to this effect (see recommendations below).

63.
The papers for this session have also highlighted some of the weaknesses in
education systems at present, though recognising that these vary in intensity from
country to country. Some such weaknesses involve directly the range of outputs from
the education system, including gender equality and governance, which were the
specific focus of papers PIFS(01) FEDA.10 and FEDA.16. The recommendation from
these papers are reproduced below for the consider of Ministers.

64.
Other weaknesses are related to the resourcing of education. For example,
alienation of students can be related directly to the number and quality of teachers and
to the relevance of the curriculum. Such resourcing issues are dealt with in the
following section.


15



SESSION 1: RECOMMENDATIONS

Vision and Goals

Ministers may wish to consider adopting a set of goals for basic education for the
Forum region.

Integration with National Planning


It was 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, 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 on 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.

Education for Good Governance
(PIFS(01)FEDA.10)

10.1 The lack of information on which to build good curricula and resource
materials has been noted and suggests:
• That agencies such as UNDP, UNESCO and USP be encouraged to set up
web pages containing basic source material on education for governance.
• That the Forum Secretariat or the USP establish a collection of printed
source material on educating for good governance.
• That a training component on case writing be integrated into CSO capacity
building programs so as to encourage the documentation of field
experiences and practices relating to education for good governance.
• That a directory of expertise on basic education for good governance be
compiled for purposes of strengthening networks and collaboration.

10.2 Education for governance needs widespread support to be effective and for the
formal sector requires explicit government recognition. In this respect it is suggested
that education for governance be incorporated into national educational development
plans as a key policy for HRD and that the component activities be catered for and
supported in the national education budget.



16


10.3
National efforts in education for governance be extended to the wider
community, through non formal education, and to assist in this:
• That a first phase of advocacy and awareness programs be undertaken with
key stakeholders in education to build partnerships, networking and
linkages aimed at promoting basic education for good governance.
• That formal and non formal providers of basic education be represented on
national curriculum advisory bodies to provide advice on social science
and the means for incorporating a governance focus in the content and
delivery processes.

Social And Economic Benefits Of Ensuring Gender Equality In Education
(PIFS(01)FEDA.16)

16.1 Recognising and building on existing initiatives, and in fulfilment of existing
commitments to the Pacific Platform for Action, the Convention on the Rights of the
Child (CRC), the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW), the Education for All and the World Social Summit,
encourage their governments to undertake the following actions in support of the
above Principle Statements:
• At the national level undertake gender analysis of education access and
quality and use findings to support education policy revision and to ensure
allocation of resources in support of gender equal education;
• Collaborate with Ministers for Finance and Economics to support gender
analysis of budget processes in order to highlight ways in which
government budgets can more effectively support sustainable and
equitable education and HRD;
• Encourage teacher training institutions to utilise existing regional and
national services that are providing gender awareness training and data
collection training;
• Direct vocational and technical training institutions to provide data on
enrolment and completion rates for men and women to government on an
annual basis and encourage them to develop institutional gender policies in
line with existing constitutional mandates and government commitments to
gender equality.
• Review rules and regulations about treatment of students who become
pregnant while in school and those with children to ensure they are not
discriminated against under existing law.

16.2 Direct the Forum Secretariat to undertake, in the next calendar year, the
following actions identified in support of the above Principle Statement promoting
gender equitable education policies:
• Work with other regional and international agencies to develop
quantitative and qualitative indicators and data categories to monitor
gender equality in education.
• Devise strategies to include these indicators and categories in existing and
new program activities such as household surveys and censuses across the
region




17


SESSION 2: DELIVERY AND RESOURCING OF BASIC EDUCATION

Delivery of Basic Education

65.
The provision of education to deliver development and education outcomes
has implications for the whole process of education, and requires policy, planning,
and resources to address:
• Skills required by teachers;
• Curriculum;
• Teaching methods and learning styles;
• School management and culture;
• Delivery mechanisms;
• Assessment procedures;
• Participation of all stakeholders in the planning and delivery of education.

Teachers

66.
Ideal teachers are competent and confident in the content and methodology of
their subject, are positive in their attitudes towards themselves, their students, their
profession and community, and can communicate with students effectively in the
language of instruction. This ideal - which requires a high standard of appropriate
training - is based on the belief that teachers are the most important factor in the
provision of quality and meaningful education.

67.
It does not matter how brilliantly conceived a program is, or how well
supported with excellent resources, it will all go to naught if the teachers do not
believe in it, understand its rationale, content and methodology, or possess the
capability, imagination and the confidence to implement it. Much of the inequalities
experienced in the provision of education and in the outcome of the process is caused
by differences in teacher quality.

68.
Critical indicators of the quality of education include the number of trained
teachers in a system; the level and quality of initial training of teachers in the field;
the capacity of the teacher training institutions for providing sound teacher education
programmes; the nature and extent of in-service training being provided for serving
teachers, and the overall environment in schools (as shown by the availability of
teaching and learning resources and conditions of classrooms and related physical
facilities).

Curriculum

69.
Quality curricula in any context does not merely mean materials which are
professionally developed containing high level content. It means that the materials are
meaningful and worthwhile to the teachers and students of a particular context; that
they relate to their experiences, beliefs, values, attitudes and knowledge; that they will
assist the child to interact more meaningfully with his environment and will provide
him with the means to manipulate and control it.

70.
The curricula must also cater for the different needs of students. Beyond this it
must also impart the values, beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and skills which are


18


essential to accommodate mainstream development and national participation. The
growth of knowledge and information is so fast in the world of today that quality
curricula must also develop the tools that can develop flexibility, additive education
and life-long learning.

71.
Another element to consider is that from the review of existing educational
services, one of the issues that emerged is the scant attention paid to Pacific heritages
from the medium of instruction, to core values, knowledge, and belief systems. From
an educationalists point of view, it is sound pedagogy to begin the learning process
from the familiar to the unfamiliar. In this way, if learning is based on what the
children bring to the learning process, the outcome and quality of learning will
obviously be enhanced.

72.
Thus formal education system largely ignores the strengths and advantages of
the prior learning and knowledge, values and attitudes brought by the children to
formal education. To make the best use of these advantages would require a
reorientation of the training of teachers, the curriculum, teaching and learning
methodologies, assessment procedures, what counts as knowledge and education and,
therefore, what counts as outcomes and how these could be measured to ensure that
the Pacific heritages are appropriately embedded in the process.

Language Medium

73.
One of the major constraints to effective and successful learning is the
language of instruction. The question that should be asked is to what extent do current
practices and policies regarding language discriminate unfairly between pupils from
different backgrounds in schools, bias admission to higher levels of education and
affect the performance of students in education. Again evidence from the literature
suggests that the language of instruction of schools does discriminate between pupils
of different backgrounds, bias admission to higher levels of education and affect the
performance of students.

74.
Education in the mother tongue or the language of the home, provides
individuals with a sense of who they are and where they come from; pride in
themselves and their society; a strong sense of identity, of belonging and acceptance
and stability. It gives them self-worth and begins the process of self-sufficiency and
independence. But it also provides a sound basis for the acquisition of a second
language which is needed in multilingual and bilingual societies of the Pacific and for
the accommodation of generic and mainstream values.

Management

75.
A caring organisation and effective and efficient management system in this
context means clear positive goals that are the consequence of continual dialogue
among the participants and stakeholders in the process. These comprise the school,
the community, the parents and the learners.

76.
Such a management system, within schools and in the larger system, is more
likely to effectively address the issues impacting on access, equity and quality


19


education, and would encompass a caring, people-oriented administration whose
actions, plans and directions are based on priority considerations of:
the needs of children in the classrooms;
• open communication networks that take advantage of the strengths of
individuals in the organisation;
• an efficient support service that responds imaginatively, flexibly,
sensitively and promptly to identified needs and challenges.

Assessment Tools

77.
The type of assessment and evaluation tools and the indicators that are used
within institutions and in national education systems to measure educational outcomes
significantly influence not only the attainment and success of individuals and social
groups and therefore, equity of outcome, but the allocation of rewards outside of the
school system. Educational measurement tools are themselves socially and culturally
based, and can be used as political tools to the advantage of some socio-cultural
groups and to the detriment of others.

Financing Education

78.
The key issue in improving the quality of basic education is financing.
Reference paper PIFS(01)FEDA.11 is the start of some work on this subject (funded
by the ADB) but is still work in progress. This paper notes that governments have
come under increasing community pressure to allocate greater levels and proportions
of total public resources to improving the overall quality of basic education, and to
bridge the yawning gaps between rural and urban education resources and outcomes.

79.
Based on preliminary case study evidence from Fiji, this paper argues that
with communities having to take on the bulk of the financial responsibility for
preschools, this significantly disadvantages children from poorer families, who fail to
attend pre-school. Evidence is also presented to show that while "preschoolers" do
subsequently perform better academically, relative to those who did not did not attend
pre-school (as would be expected), the differences are far more significant for
children from poorer families, than for children from average or affluent families.

80.
However, the study points out that the current patterns of enrolments and unit
costs in pre-schools (in comparison to primary enrolments and unit costs) imply that
were Government to take full financial responsibility and especially for staffing (as
they currently have in primary schools) this would have a major impact on the
Education budget.

81.
Finally the data analysed indicates an urgent need for strong empirical
research, in a joint exercise between education experts and economists, to identify the
factors that are leading to good academic outcomes, and to reallocate financial
resources to boost the efficiency and productivity of these factors throughout the
education system.



20


Developing Partnerships

82.
Resourcing education in the Pacific will continue to be a major challenge. Full
utilisation, therefore, of every available means of delivery such as the technical and
scientific developments in information and communication technology to cater for the
diverse needs of individuals and groups within the larger society is necessary.

83.
It should also be recognised that although Governments may continue as the
major funder of basic education to protect access and equity, government funding
alone will be insufficient to provide basic education for all. However, the choice is not
between free and private education, but between education financed via a government
monopoly and education financed by government in partnership with communities,
parents, Civil Society Organisations and the private sector.

84.
Greater participation by non-government members in this partnership can
increase the level of resources available, and increase the relevance and effectiveness
of the learning process. Non-formal and traditional forms of education must be
developed to accommodate the demands for broader outcomes of education and meet
the need for universal and equitable access to quality education. Their capacity to
contribute to the development of skills for life and income generation could be
enhanced (Paper PIFS(01)FEDA.15 refers).

85.
If due consideration is given to children’s experiences, knowledge and
language in the formal primary school system, as the foundation for all further
learning, it will encourage teachers to cultivate a more participatory atmosphere in the
classroom. With the greater involvement of non-formal teaching methods, education
will become a community concern.

86.
The need for an increase in the contribution and participation by parents and
CSOs, including the business community, in technical and vocational training will not
only improve access, equity and quality but can create flexibility and increased
responsiveness of educational providers to meet educational and training demands.

87.
Pacific countries require technical and vocational education (TVET) systems
that are responsive to, and share, the demands of their people and society. A survey
was carried out over 2000/2001 of Pacific Island country needs, priorities, capabilities
and resources regarding technical and vocational education (see paper
PIFS(01)FEDA.13). The highest priority emerging from this survey is a clear need for
assistance to strengthen delivery of skills development programmes and all countries
noted the need to establish more TVET programmes at secondary or tertiary levels.

88.
The report notes that there is a great need for consolidation, improvement and
upgrading of existing training programmes in terms of standards, delivery, staff,
equipment and materials to promote efficiency, effectiveness, comparability and
credibility. The demands for diversity and quality of training and skills, both from
learners and stakeholders, mean that new programmes will have to be developed and
introduced into the current technical and vocational education programmes.

89.
Recognising the valuable contribution of CSOs, particularly the churches and
private sector and community make to basic education, FIC Governments need to


21


develop enabling conditions for these organisations and stakeholders to actively
participate in the policy, planning, delivery and resourcing of basic education.

Conclusions

90.
The issues raised in this session are aimed at addressing identified weaknesses
in education systems, including those raised in the previous session. These 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;
• 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 (as noted in the
analysis of outcomes and financing), and
• developing partnerships with CSOs, NGOs and the private sector;

91.
Ministers may wish to consider these elements when considering the
recommendations arising from the papers presented in this session. These
recommendations are set out below. Ministers may wish to also consider requesting
that the work started on an outcomes approach to analysing the financing of basic
education (PIFS(01)FEDA.11) be completed.

92.
Ministers may be aware that presently country and regional programmes
are being developed for Economic Development Funding (EDF) under the Cotonou
Agreement between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. At
the regional level such programming was considered by a meeting, in April 2001 in
Suva, of the National Authorising Officers of the Pacific ACP, who agreed that the
focal sectors to be pursued under the 9th EDF Regional Programme be Regional
Economic Integration and Human Resource Development.

93.
In a follow-up to this meeting the Forum Secretariat is developing specific
programmes to address these focal sectors. In doing so it has identified the overall aim
of an HRD strategy as being to improve the region’s living standards and international
competitiveness by providing opportunities for people to become more skilful,
motivated and able to respond flexibly to new challenges and opportunities. It
suggests that in particular the HRD strategy might well concentrate on:
The standardisation and adoption of a regional curriculum for primary and
secondary education at the national level in order to facilitate regional
tertiary level modalities.
The establishment of a regional teachers training institute.
The strengthening of distance education through new technologies
• Training directed at the needs of the economic sectors and industries
• Capacity building of regional Non-State Actors focussing on basic
education and training.

94.
Ministers may wish to consider and comment on these suggestions.


22



SESSION 2: RECOMMENDATIONS
Note the Report Of The Technical/Vocational Taskforce on Education And Training
in the Pacific Region (PIFS(01)FEDA.13)

Improving Quality in Basic Education
(PIFS(01)FEDA.12)

12.1 Early Childhood Education

That while continuing with collaborative efforts with NGOs, church and
community organisations in providing ECE to pre-school age children, governments
should address resource requirements for ECE teacher training and assess how ECE
teachers can obtain the same status and conditions of employment as for their primary
counterparts.

12.2 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 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.

12.3 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 courses targeting specific needs of teachers such as
proficiency in English and skills in multi-class teaching be mounted in countries
where teachers need such courses.

12.4 Classroom Teaching

In accordance with the local data base on the conditions that exist in schools in
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.





23


12.5 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.

12.6 Towards Enhancing Professionalism in Teaching

That enhancing professionalism in teaching, whereby the profession is guided
by the ethos, standards and ethics of the profession itself, be promoted as a long-term
goal for enhancing teachers’ capacity for managing changes and their identity as
teachers.

Non Formal Education: Meeting Basic Education Challenges In The Pacific
(PIFS(01)FEDA.14)


Recognising that non-formal education (NFE) is an important strategy for
development, Governments address immediate NFE needs, including budgetary
needs, by undertaking the following actions:
• provide effective communications linkages between NFE, micro-
enterprise and micro-financing initiatives.
• establish a focal point (within the appropriate Ministry or department
within a ministry) which has close partnerships with NFE providers.
• provide an enabling environment by actively co-ordinating NFE
initiatives.
• develop clear and robust national policy on NFE.
• support training at national and regional levels for NFE key personnel.
• ensure effective evaluation and monitoring of NFE programmes.

Civil Society as Basic Education Provider
(PIFS(01)FEDA.15)


In recognition of the partnership with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and
the private sector already in place in all Forum Island Countries in the provision and
delivery of basic education, and to enhance the achievement of National, Regional
and International commitments, direct the Forum Secretariat in association with other
regional organisations and UN agencies to document, and quantify the contribution of
Civil Society in the provision and delivery of basic education with the view to
developing model enabling government/CSO partnership policies.
Financing of Basic Education


Completion of work analysing the financing of education relative to outcomes
would be an important contribution to improved policy formulation in the education
sector. The Forum Secretariat could be asked to work with the Asian Development
Bank to ensure the work begun is completed and the case studies extended to take in
to account other typical cases in the region.




24


ANNEX 1

SOUTH PACIFIC FORUM VISION STATEMENT

The Leaders who have participated in the Twenty Sixth meeting of the South Pacific Forum,
the paramount regional inter-governmental organisation in the South Pacific, have a vision for
enhancing regional cooperation for the next twenty five years in which:-

Forum members cooperate on the basis of equality, friendship and mutual respect - with
due regard for what each can afford - in efforts to maintain security, improve living
standards and ensure sustainable development throughout the region;

Opportunities for cooperation with other governments, non-government organisations
and international organisations, including other bodies in the Asia-Pacific, are actively
pursued and developed;

Resources, including fisheries, forestry, minerals, water and land, are developed with
proper regard for conservation, the legacy of past generations and the future;

Unity in securing shared interests contributes to the national, regional and global good;

Material progress is matched by improvement in the quality of people's lives, including
human development, equality between women and men, and protection of children.







Vulnerability to the effects of natural disasters, environmental damage and other threats
will be overcome;

Indigenous and other values, traditions and customs of the region are respected and
promoted through cultural, sporting and other exchanges;

Self-determination will be exercised in the remaining dependant territories, and
unwelcome activities by external powers, including nuclear testing, will cease;

International economic cooperation through trade, investment and other exchanges,
strengthens subsistence and commercial agriculture, industrial development and
competition, leading to growth - with equity, broadly-based participation and
capacity-building for self-reliance;

Openness, accountability and other principles of good government are embodied in the
practices, policies and plans of regional institutions; and

National, sub-regional and regional efforts to achieve the Forum's vision receive the
support they require from the Forum Secretariat and other regional organisations.

Issued at Madang, Papua New Guinea. 14th September 1995



25


ANNEX 2
Objective/Level/
Level of Intervention
Objectively Verifiable Indicators
Means of
Major Assumptions
Code
Verification
ENABLING ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME STRATEGIES
2 Education and Training

To enhance the productive capabilities of the people of the Pacific Islands in an efficient and cost-effective manner, thereby
Regional initiatives are
OBJECTIVE
enabling their full participation in the economy and enjoyment of the benefits of social and economic development through an
consistent with National

improved quality of life
priorities
OUTPUTS/RESULTS
2.1
- Improved quality of core primary and secondary
- Improved performance of school graduates
Surveys of
Effective
Improved Supply,
education curricula;
- Less dependence on foreign personnel for
national and
cooperation/collaboration
Quality and Relevance of
- Increased relevance of education and
professional and skilled functions
regional education amongst PIC government
Education System
- Improved training in technical sciences, private
- Improved attractiveness to foreign investors and
performance
agencies, NGOs and
Graduates
sector-related employment, management and
competitive position of countries

communities as well as
entrepreneurship,
- Reduced unemployment rates
Surveys and data
between CROP agencies
- Strengthened quality of teachers, curriculum staff
on employment,
with shared
and training personnel;
investment flows
responsibilities (USP,
- Improved standards and certification of education
and new business
SPC, FORSEC, SPREP,
and skills training
ventures
SOPAC, SPTO)
2.2
- Improved policies and plans for vocational and
- National and regional policies and programmes
Surveys of
Effective
Improved Life skills of
skills training, focused on non-formal and subsistence
on vocational and skills training for rural and
economic activity
cooperation/collaboration
Education System
sector;
urban disadvantaged groups
and private sector
amongst PIC government
Graduates
- Targeted interventions to promote capacities of
- Increased participation in productive activity of
employment
agencies, NGOs and
disadvantaged groups (women and youth) for
women and youth from urban and rural sectors
communities as well as
employment and other productive and income-
between CROP agencies
earning activity
with shared
responsibilities (USP,
SPC, FORSEC, SPREP,
SOPAC, SPTO)
2.3
- Strengthened transport, communications and
- Improved student enrolments through full time,
Statistics of
Effective
Improved Access to
information infrastructure, and supporting services
part-time and distance learning programmes
student
cooperation/collaboration
Education and Training
through distance and part-time learning
- Increased private sector and NGO educational
enrolments and
amongst PIC government
- Improved private sector and NGO participation in
and training institutions and programmes
performance
agencies, NGOs and
education and training delivery
communities as well as
between CROP agencies
with shared
responsibilities (USP,
SPC, FORSEC, SPREP,
SOPAC, SPTO)


26


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