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Final Report TONGA – EDUCATION SECTOR STUDY A Project Commissioned by the New Zealand Agency for International Development and the Government of Tonga Report Prepared By Vince Catherwood (Vince Catherwood & Associates Ltd) Tupou ’Ulu’ave Taufa (Ministry of Education, Tonga) Christine Scott (Polytechnics International New Zealand Ltd) Barry Cook (SAGRIC International Ltd) 24 March 2003 Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary .................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 5 Summary of Findings..................................................................................................... 5 Universal Basic Education.............................................................................................. 6 Skill Development ......................................................................................................... 7 Reform of Education Administration................................................................................ 8 Education Assistance Programme .................................................................................. 8 Summary of Recommendations...................................................................................... 9 Universal Basic Education.......................................................................................... 9 Skill Development ....................................................................................................12 Reform of Education Administration...........................................................................15 Education Assistance Programme .............................................................................16 2. Preamble – Talateu ....................................................................................................17 3. Background ...............................................................................................................18 Country Profile .............................................................................................................18 Terms of Reference......................................................................................................19 Study Team.................................................................................................................20 Previous Reports .........................................................................................................20 4. Context ......................................................................................................................22 Policy Framework for Education....................................................................................22 Operating Environment.................................................................................................23 Scope of the Project.....................................................................................................24 Demographic Trends....................................................................................................25 Trends in the Economy.................................................................................................27 Public Sector Reform....................................................................................................27 5. Description of Tonga’s Education System .................................................................29 Early Childhood Education Overview.............................................................................29 Early Childhood Provision.........................................................................................29 Curriculum...............................................................................................................29 Funding...................................................................................................................30 Teachers .................................................................................................................30 Primary Education Overview.........................................................................................31 Schools...................................................................................................................31 Budget....................................................................................................................32 Resources and Facilities...........................................................................................32 Students..................................................................................................................32 Parental Involvement................................................................................................33 Teachers .................................................................................................................33 Secondary Entrance Examination (SEE)....................................................................33 Repeaters ...............................................................................................................34 Curriculum...............................................................................................................34 Assessment.............................................................................................................34 Secondary Education Overview.....................................................................................36 Schools...................................................................................................................36 Subjects and Examinations .......................................................................................38 Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 2 Budget....................................................................................................................39 Resources and Facilities...........................................................................................39 Parental Involvement................................................................................................40 Teachers .................................................................................................................40 Student Progression.................................................................................................40 Curriculum...............................................................................................................41 Assessment.............................................................................................................42 Post-Secondary Education Overview.............................................................................44 Post-Secondary Education Provision.........................................................................44 Post-Secondary Government Institutions....................................................................44 Post-Secondary Non-Government Institutions.............................................................48 Non-Formal Provision of Post-Secondary Education and Training ................................49 Training in Industry ...................................................................................................50 Scholarships............................................................................................................50 Non-formal Education Sector Overview..........................................................................51 Provision of Non-Formal Education............................................................................51 Continuing Education ...............................................................................................51 Community-Based Education and Training .................................................................51 Education and Training for Women............................................................................52 Non-Formal Programmes Targeted at Youth ..............................................................54 Other Non-Formal Education Programmes.................................................................55 6. Project Description ....................................................................................................56 Methodology................................................................................................................56 Perceptions of the Tonga Education System...................................................................60 7. Criteria for Making Decisions about Priorities............................................................63 Immediacy of Impact on Achievement............................................................................63 Sustainability and Contribution to Capacity Building in the Education Sector......................63 Applicability to both Tongatapu and Outer Islands...........................................................64 Strategic Alignment ......................................................................................................64 Viability and Efficiency..................................................................................................64 Potential Benefits versus Transaction Costs ...................................................................64 Appeal to Potential Donor Agencies...............................................................................65 Synergies....................................................................................................................65 8. Directions ..................................................................................................................66 Introduction .................................................................................................................66 Universal Basic Education.............................................................................................66 Improving Learning in Schools ......................................................................................73 Strengthened Human Resource Development ................................................................84 Improved Management & Control of Education.............................................................107 Other Cross-cutting Issues..........................................................................................122 9. Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga......................................................................128 10. Education Financing ............................................................................................131 Costing Framework ....................................................................................................132 11. Education Programme of Support ........................................................................135 12. Risk Management.................................................................................................137 13. Recommendations ...............................................................................................139 Universal Basic Education...........................................................................................139 Skill Development ......................................................................................................142 Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 3 Reform of Education Administration.............................................................................145 Education Assistance Programme ...............................................................................146 14. Appendices ..........................................................................................................147 Appendix 1: Terms of Reference .................................................................................147 Appendix 2: Bibliography ............................................................................................155 Appendix 3: People Consulted ....................................................................................158 Appendix 4: Tonga Reference Group meetings.............................................................166 Appendix 5: List of Abbreviations................................................................................170 Appendix 6: Discussion Booklet, Response Sheet, and Analysis of Responses..............172 Appendix 7: Questionnaires ........................................................................................197 Tables Table 1: Regional Development Indicators................................................................................................................ 18 Table 2: Tonga Population Projections ...................................................................................................................... 25 Table 3: Primary School Enrolments, 1995-2001...................................................................................................... 31 Table 4: Age range of Candidates for the SEE in 2001 ............................................................................................ 34 Table 5: Secondary School Systems in Tonga in 2001............................................................................................. 36 Table 6: Secondary School Enrolments .................................................................................................................... 37 Table 7: Secondary Schooling in Tonga.................................................................................................................... 38 Figure 1: School enrolments in Tonga by Year level in 2001 (and exam placement) .............................................. 67 Figure 2: Post Compulsory Education and Training in Tonga................................................................................... 94 Figure 3: The Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board: Structure and Relationships....................... 95 Table 8: Breakdown of Education Expenditure - 2001 ............................................................................................ 132 Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 4 1. Executive Summary Introduction 1.1. This Final Report documents the findings of a Tonga Education Sector Study, commissioned by the New Zealand Agency for International Development and the Government of Tonga, to advise on the future directions for education in Tonga and to assist with the development of a Tonga Strategic Plan for Education over the medium term. The Study took place over the period September 2002 to February 2003, and was conducted by an independent international team of four people (Vince Catherwood, Tupou Taufa, Barry Cook and Christine Scott). 1.2. The purpose of the Study is to produce a foundation which assists with efficiency and effectiveness in educational planning and delivery and improved outcomes of future education in Tonga. The attached terms of reference (Appendix 1) set out the key objectives, questions to be asked, outputs to be achieved, and the process to be followed. The Study Team has made two visits to Tonga, has undertaken extensive consultation by interviewing a range of key stakeholders, by distributing and analysing a questionnaire and a subsequent discussion paper, by producing and distributing a draft Preliminary Report and a draft Final Report, and by interacting with a Tonga Reference Group set up to advise the Team. This Final Report and the associated Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013) are the two key outputs of the Study. 1.3. The Study took place following the NZODA Programme Strategy Study in March 2001 which recommended a goal of building capacity for sustainable and equitable development and self-sufficiency. Building capacity was to be seen in a broad context as building the capacity of government and non- government organisations and communities to identify and solve their own problems, and, while this focus was not limited to education, training or institutional strengthening activities, a prime emphasis was to be placed upon education and training by improving the quality of formal education outcomes in Tonga, and by a greater focus on vocational and technical training. The intention is that New Zealand should prioritise its Tongan bilateral assistance programme to human resource development that best meets identified needs. Summary of Findings 1.4. The Study Team has identified a number of strengths in the Tonga education system, and some challenges. Future support should build on these strengths to create a platform for the future, to enable Tongans to work together to deliver improved education and training that will foster individual development and meet the social and economic needs of the country. The consultations undertaken by the Study Team indicate that the Tongan education system must have a dual focus: an essential ingredient is that Tongans need to develop their own cultural identity through their education Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 5 system; they also need the skills that will enable them to be internationally competitive. 1.5. Three key strategic goals in the accompanying Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013) are therefore proposed as a basis for the further development of the Tonga education system. 1.6. The first goal recognises Tonga’s achievement in providing universal primary education in the first six years of schooling, and focuses on the improvement of equitable access to and quality of universal basic education for all children in Tonga up to Year 8 (Form 2). 1.7. The second goal acknowledges that it will be important in meeting the challenges to participate in a global economy in the future that improvements are made to the access to and the quality of “post-basic” education and training. These improvements for the education and training of students need to cater for all their different abilities and needs, and need to recognise the economic importance of skill development in Tonga’s development. Support for technical and vocational education and training and lifelong education are the key dimensions of this goal. 1.8. The third goal focuses on improvements to the administration of education and training so that the quality of educational performance is enhanced. A strong feature of Tonga’s education system is that the Government and the non-Government sectors are both very active in the education sector. Both these sectors need to work more closely together in education to serve the national interest, and to meet the key priorities for education. 1.9. The Study Team therefore proposes that universal basic education and skills development should be the Tonga Government’s education priorities, and that improvements to the administration of the education system should be effected in order to achieve these priorities. A strategic framework is needed to achieve these goals. The accompanying draft strategic plan provides a basis for the Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education to consult with its stakeholders on the nature and form of that framework. Universal Basic Education 1.10. Improvement of basic education should be addressed through a programme of curriculum and assessment reform, improved teacher training and development, and reforms to the education sector (particularly in Years 7 & 8 [Forms 1 & 2]) aimed at improving access to and the quality of formal education. Early childhood education and training should be strengthened by increased recognition of the fundamental importance of pre-school education and by the creation of an environment in which community-based pre-school education can expand and develop. The special needs of children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities need to be recognised. 1.11. A comprehensive review of the primary and secondary school curriculum and the assessment system is needed in order to provide better progression Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 6 and continuity in learning. In this context, particular importance is placed upon the development of an appropriate policy for Tonga on language development (including literacy initiatives) and the language of instruction. Effective coordination of and planning for both pre-service and in-service teacher education (including professional leadership programmes) will also be needed in order to raise student achievement. These initiatives could be supported by an education assistance programme [growing out of the Tonga Institutional Support for Schools Project] to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools in Tonga. Skill Development 1.12. Skill development is another fundamental priority for attention. In the secondary school curriculum there is a need to provide a wider range of learning opportunities and subjects, with a focus on more practical and vocational outcomes. 1.13. The Government of Tonga should develop a specific National Strategic Plan for formal Post-Secondary Education and Training. The plan will include a new focus on vocational and technical education and training by strengthening existing institutions and programmes. 1.14. A broader approach should be taken to human resource development in Tonga by undertaking an independent, comprehensive and systematic national training needs analysis, in order to determine the scope and direction of Tonga’s future training needs, as a precursor to the development of a National Human Resource Development Plan. Stronger links between industry and education providers need to be fostered. These initiatives will aim to strengthen and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs. 1.15. Expanding, through amalgamation with other government post-secondary institutes, and strengthening the Tonga Institute of Higher Education to coordinate post-secondary education and training will be a cornerstone of the proposed national strategic plan for formal post-secondary education. This institute should act as an overview body for all existing Government- provided post-secondary education and training, and should act in close association with other providers. A further coordination mechanism supported is the proposed establishment of the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board as a statutory body. This body would support the strategic direction, industry input, quality assurance and audit of a qualifications system for post-compulsory education and training in Tonga across all providers. Other mechanisms to enhance the provision of vocational and technical education should be explored, including possible partnerships among industry, employees and training institutes, exploring the viability of specialist technology/resource centres available to school and community groups, and a review of the processes for recruitment and training of teachers for all areas of technical and vocational education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 7 1.16. The allocation of scholarships for tertiary study should be reviewed, with more emphasis paid to the allocation of scholarships to meet national priority needs, and more emphasis placed formal qualifications undertaken in Tonga, including through the use of distributed learning technologies. 1.17. A greater focus should also be placed on non-formal education and training, with rural communities, Outer Islands, and private sector priorities targeted in the in-country training programme. Reform of Education Administration 1.18. To support these objectives, improvements to the administration of the Tonga education system are needed. The proposed changes outlined in this Report have implications for the Ministry of Education. First of all, the Ministry of Education should develop a National Strategic Plan for Education, based on refining the accompanying Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013). This plan would set out goals and objectives for education in Tonga and would aim to increase effectiveness and efficiency. This proposed plan would allow the Ministry of Education to undertake responsibility for policy oversight of the whole education system through national guidelines. It would foster partnerships between the Government and non-Government sectors, and would allow the Ministry of Education to consider, over the longer term, how schools and their communities might assume more responsibility for day-to-day operations. It would improve the national network of schooling provision, reform the national distribution of funds for education; and would allow schools to assume more responsibility for the management and delivery of education. 1.19. The Ministry of Education needs to consider restructuring its administration and management to achieve these objectives. Its policy development role needs to be enhanced, its capability needs to be strengthened, and its efficiency increased. Its administrative structure requires changes to meet the new national requirements and the proposed new roles. More autonomy for school Principals, and increased responsibility for school management of staffing and resources could be considered. A National Strategic Plan for school property development and investment needs to be developed, as part of the overall Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013). As part of the proposed reforms, the Education Act 1974 could be reviewed in the longer term. Education Assistance Programme 1.20. There are sufficient needs within the education sector to warrant significant NZAID support to Tonga within its future strategy. A coordinated programme of support (an Education Assistance Programme over the period 2003 to 2013) is recommended to achieve the goals that have been outlined. The Study Team has developed specific objectives that should be addressed in this proposed Education Assistance Programme in the accompanying document, the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013). Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 8 1.21. The New Zealand Government and other donors in the education sector are encouraged to work closely with the Government of Tonga to integrate their assistance more effectively into overall sector planning and management. The mechanisms suggested in this Report, such as the inputs from non- Governmental providers and the wider community, and the proposed restructuring of the administration and management of the Ministry of Education, should assist the development of improved education policy and better programme delivery. The Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013) provides a basis on which the Ministry of Education, on behalf of the Government of Tonga, can now consult with its community on improving education outcomes. Summary of Recommendations Universal Basic Education Recommendation 1 1.22. The Government of Tonga should support the national system of education in which the Ministry of Education undertakes responsibility for providing for the basic education of all students to the end of Year 8 (Form 2) by: • adopting appropriate structures, regulations and policies to ensure accessibility to basic education for all children in Tonga from Year 1 (Class 1) to Year 8 (Form 2) in primary schools; and • fostering close partnerships between the Government and non- Government education providers. Recommendation 2 1.23. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should continue to support pre-school education by: • establishing a system of registration of pre-school providers; • adopting curriculum guidelines and appropriate materials for early childhood education; • making provision for training of pre-school teachers at the Tonga Institute of Education and supporting access to other providers of early childhood teacher training, including the University of the South Pacific; • establishing a Parents as First Teachers advisory service to support and encourage communities that wish to provide early childhood education; and • examining the long term implications of subsidising early childhood education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 9 Recommendation 3 1.24. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should support the special needs of children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities by: • recognising that children and adults with physical and intellectual difficulties need to have access to appropriate educational opportunities; • appointing a specialist adviser(s), with a designated special education role, to initially determine the extent of needs and devise strategies; • making available appropriate learning materials and equipment for special education; • making provision for training of special education teachers at Tonga Institute of Education and supporting access to special education offerings by other providers, including the University of the South Pacific; and • providing teachers of children with special needs with professional development opportunities and targeted in-service training to assist them to help each child with special needs. Recommendation 4 1.25. The Ministry of Education should co-locate the Examinations Unit of the Ministry of Education with the Curriculum Development Unit under a single administration, with a core of competent staff appointed, trained and given long term tenure in the positions created. Recommendation 5 1.26. The Ministry of Education should undertake a review of the primary and secondary school curriculum in order to ensure appropriate linkages between the levels of schooling and to further enhance transition between the levels and foster the introduction of new subjects. This will lead to the production and delivery of: • an overarching curriculum framework in order to provide progression and continuity in learning outcomes from pre-school levels to Year 13 (Form 7); • a broader curriculum which recognises existing strengths while relating school learning outcomes and objectives to the educational, social and economic goals of the country; • an appropriate sequence of revised specific subject syllabi within the curriculum framework; • revised secondary Agriculture and Technology syllabi through an early request for assistance to ensure progress in these areas is maintained and to meet the pressing need for more relevant practical courses in secondary school; • sufficient and appropriate teaching and learning support resources to enable children to maximise their potential; Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 10 • improved school broadcasting programmes, such as radio and television, for early childhood education, and primary and secondary schools; and • revised primary and secondary physical education and sports syllabuses. Recommendation 6 1.27. The Ministry of Education should broaden the assessment system in Tonga to ensure a wider range of students’ skills and abilities is assessed, by: • establishing an Assessment Review Working Party, including representation from the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment, to review the current school assessment system and report to the Director of the Ministry of Education; • reporting the findings of the Assessment Review Working Party to the independent Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board which has oversight of all qualifications in Tonga; • phasing out the Secondary Entrance Examination at Year 6 (Class 6) and replacing it in the short term with an examination at the end of compulsory education at Year 8 (Form 2) to select entrants for secondary schools which would then cater for Year 9 (Form 3) and above; • in the medium to longer term, examining the feasibility of removing the Secondary Entrance Exa mination completely and allowing social promotion to Year 11 (Form 5) with selection to secondary schools [beginning at Year 9 (Form 3)] determined by a combination of school- determined criteria and geographic zoning; • developing and applying assessment instruments across the early primary years to assist with diagnosing learning difficulties and remediation strategies; and • adopting a regional qualification for Year 13 (Form 7), developed by the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment, and introduced in 2004 to replace the New Zealand University Bursaries examination, with recognition sought from international qualifications organisations such as the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee, in order to ensure entry for tertiary study equivalent to that previously generated by performance in the University Bursaries examination. Recommendation 7 1.28. The Ministry of Education should revise the existing policy on languages, literacy, and bilingualism, taking into account that: • the main language of instruction in primary schools will be Tongan Language up to the end of Year 3 (Class 3), that both Tongan and English (bilingual) will be used as the languages of instruction in Years 4 to 6 (Classes 4 to 6), and that English will be the main language of instruction from Year 7 (Form 1) onwards; • Tongan Language and Culture is taught throughout the school from Years 1 to 13 (Class 1 to Form 7); Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 11 • appropriate in-service training is provided to all early childhood and primary school teachers to develop their skills to meet the stated Tongan and English language curriculum objectives, with a focus on developing literacy skills; • high priority is given to developing, producing and distributing quality learning resources to support the development of literacy and numeracy (both graded readers and good quality books) initially in Tongan for the early primary school years, and then in both Tongan and English; and • an adequate supply of books, both in Tongan and in English, is made available for use across the curriculum. Recommendation 8 1.29. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should continue to ensure an adequate supply of trained teachers delivering a consistently high standard of education to meet the needs of all schools in Tonga by providing appropriate facilities, resources and support, and by continuing to strengthen the Tonga Institute of Education. Recommendation 9 1.30. The Tonga Institute of Education Advisory Committee for Teacher Education, comprising representatives of the government and non- government education providers and other stakeholders, should be re- established to: • coordinate and advise on all pre-service and in-service teacher education offerings; • develop a coordinated plan for pre-service and in-service education offerings, which recognises serving teachers’ need for a qualification; • encourage partnership between government and non-government education providers for integrated planning; and • ensure that in-service training forms an integral part of the overall revision of curriculum and assessment in schools. Skill Development Recommendation 10. 1.31. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education, in conjunction with the other recommendations relating to human resource development and a training needs analysis, should develop a specific National Strategic Plan for formal Post-Secondary Education and Training as part of its broader Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga, ensuring co- ordination with other post-secondary education providers. Recommendation 11 1.32. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to foster an internationally recognised tertiary education sector in Tonga by coordinating existing post-secondary education and expanding Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 12 the Tonga Institute of Higher Education to create a separate autonomous tertiary education institution, accountable to a duly constituted Governing Body, and responsible directly to the Minister of Education for its policy direction and for achievement of its negotiated outcomes. Recommendation 12 1.33. The Government of Tonga through the Minister of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs by establishing the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board, approved by Cabinet in 1987, as a statutory body to provide strategic direction, co-ordination, industry input, quality assurance and audit for a qualifications system of post-compulsory education and training in Tonga. Recommendation 13 1.34. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to investigate all avenues for rationalising and enhancing the provision of facilities and resources for technical and vocational education and training, including exploring the viability of specialist technology/resource centres available to school and community groups. Recommendation 14 1.35. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should maximise the use of technology: • to enhance and facilitate on-line and distance education which supports further articulation agreements with international institutions; and • to provide early childhood, primary, secondary and post-secondary education opportunities, particularly to outer islands. Recommendation 15 1.36. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen, and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs by: • further developing the technical subjects at secondary schools to provide a viable and legitimate pathway to equivalent school qualifications for students who wish to study practical subjects and the creative arts; and • supporting and recognising the development of school-based alternative programmes in technical and vocational fields which lead to industry- focused qualifications. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 13 Recommendation 16 1.37. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to provide a public awareness programme to promote the value of technical and vocational education and to raise awareness of the pathways to employment and further study. Recommendation 17 1.38. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should review the processes for recruitment and training of teachers for all areas of technical and vocational education, in line with recommendations relating to the strengthening of teacher education. Recommendation 18 1.39. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs by exploring possible partnerships among industry, employees and training institutes, to further develop and extend a work-based learning model for trade and technical education. Recommendation 19 1.40. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should initiate an independent, comprehensive and systematic national training needs analysis, in order to determine the scope and direction of Tonga’s future training needs, and should subsequently develop a National Human Resource Development Plan, linked to its Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga, by: • setting out the key skill development priorities for the country’s growth; • targeting resources to meet the needs revealed in the national training needs analysis; • fostering relationships among industry, employers and tertiary education providers; and • establishing a mechanism to coordinate national capacity building activities, to achieve synergies in education and training, to ensure that post-secondary education and training is driven by the needs of industry, and to achieve a coherent policy for human resources development and institutional capacity development. Recommendation 20 1.41. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should ensure that future national human resource development needs are being met through an allocation of scholarships to meet the forecast needs of the work force in Tonga (in both the Government service and the private sector), as demonstrated in the training needs analysis. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 14 Recommendation 21 1.42. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should ensure that education is supported as a life long process, and that systems allow for second chance and continuing education and training, by establishing a national strategy for lifelong learning, including: • programmes for the promotion of good health, physical fitness and sports; • annual programmes for youth support, opportunities for re-entry to formal schooling by adults and early leavers, support for non-formal educational opportunities, and an adult literacy programme; and • supporting the return to formal learning through the University of the South Pacific preliminary and foundation courses and with other education providers. Recommendation 22 1.43. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should ensure that education is supported as a life long process by: • exploring opportunities to develop life and work skill modules that can be undertaken in homes and villages using radio and distance learning methods, combined with local mentoring support; and • actively supporting, promoting and expanding existing short-term training, and providing community and continuing education opportunities, including attachments and short courses outside Tonga. Reform of Education Administration Recommendation 23 1.44. The Ministry of Education should develop a national Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (based on the document accompanying this Report) which: • bears a clear relationship to the National Strategic Development Plan and the current Government reform exercise; • sets out goals and objectives for education in Tonga; • aims to increase effectiveness and efficiency; • plans for progressive improvements to the education system over the medium term; • allows the Ministry of Education to undertake responsibility for policy oversight of the whole education system through the development of national guidelines; • fosters improved networks and partnerships between the Government and Non-Government sectors; Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 15 • considers where devolution of more responsibility to schools and their communities would be in the national interest, and how any appropriate changes might be managed progressively over time; • reviews the current national network of schooling provision; and • moves progressively to reform the national distribution of funds for education where such reform is in the national interest. Recommendation 24 1.45. The Ministry of Education should consider restructuring the administration and management of the Ministry in order to strengthen its policy development role, its administrative structure, and its capacity to deliver education more effectively. Recommendation 25 1.46. The Ministry of Education should develop a National Strategic Plan for school property development and investment as part of the overall Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. Recommendation 26 1.47. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should review the Education Act 1974, and amend it if necessary, in order to take into account any changes adopted by Government that arise from the Tonga Education Sector Study and the development of the Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. Recommendation 27 1.48. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should require providers of post-compulsory education and training to develop institutional gender policies in line with a commitment to gender equity. Education Assistance Programme Recommendation 28 1.49. The New Zealand Agency for International Development, in consultation with the other external donors, should consider making a commitment to a co-ordinated programme of support (an Education Assistance Programme) over the next ten years in order to support the directions finally adopted by the Government of Tonga in its Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 16 2. Preamble – Talateu 2.1. ‘Ko e hakau ‘o e ‘aho ni, ko e fonua ia ‘o e ‘apongipongi.’ (The reefs of today will be the islands of tomorrow.) This Tongan proverb describes how the children of today will be the people of tomorrow. 2.2. ‘Ko e fonua pe tangata.’ (The country is people.) People are the strength of nations. A country is as strong as its people. 2.3. The people of Tonga share a belief that what we pass on to our children through education will enable them to make choices: “to speak their words, dream their dreams, think their thoughts, sing their songs; decide, direct and control their own destinies, be masters of their fates, and captains of their souls.” 2.4. The children of Tonga today will be leaders and workers in all walks of life in the future. We trust that our children, the future people of Tonga, will look upon us, their predecessors, with gratitude and respect. We hope to pass on a world in which they will be able to live lives of fulfilment as Tongans with their own children, contributing to the overall success of the nation. 2.5. Education is perhaps the most valuable asset a person can possess. A well- informed and educated people is fundamental to that society’s well-being. Should education seek to make everyone conform to the cultural and religious expectations imposed by the community? Should education require children to meet the expectations instilled by their parents? Or should education encourage young people to think for themselves, and to question? Where is the balance between individual growth and development, the transmission of the culture, and meeting the needs of society? 2.6. What do the people of Tonga want from their education system? Do they wish to acquire the wisdom of the “Palangi” through a “Western” type of education? Do they wish for an excellence in education that is unique to Tonga? Do Tongans want a path to find their own destiny in this age of multicultural diversity and globalisation? 2.7. The Tonga Education Sector Study is seen by the Study Team as a golden opportunity for the people of Tonga to debate and discuss these issues, and, through dialogue, to be able to decide what the purpose of education is for Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 17 3. Background Country Profile 3.1. Tonga is an independent kingdom located in the South Pacific Ocean, consisting of an archipelago of 169 islands, of which 36 are inhabited. It has a population estimated at 101,0021 in 2002 (97,784 at the time of the 1996 census). At the time of the census, 39% of its population was aged 14 or under, and over 50% was aged 19 or less. Although the people are spread across all the inhabited islands, most of the population (approximately 70%) resides on the main island of Tongatapu. A significant number of Tongans (well over 50,000) reside overseas in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. 3.2. The country is a constitutional monarchy which has distinctive cultural traditions, a common language, a strong Christian tradition, and a pattern of extended families that operate within a hierarchical social system. It is well endowed with agricultural and marine resources, supports a vibrant tourist industry, and has a relatively high level of human development. 3.3. Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, root crops, kava and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. It remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The government is emphasising the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonable basic infrastructure and well- developed social services. By comparison with other similar Pacific Island countries, Tonga performs well on selected regional development indicators, as seen in Table 1 below. Table 1: Regional Development Indicators 2 Country GDP per Access to Water Life Adult capita ($A) (% of popn) expectancy Literacy (% (years) of popn) Fiji 3424 47 73 93 Solomon Islds 1162 71 71 30 Vanuatu 1813 88 65 34 Samoa 1643 99 69 96 Tonga 2665 100 71 99 Kiribati 2410 47 61 92 Tuvalu 1843 85 67 95 1 Demographic Analysis:Summary and Population Projections Statistics Department, Appendix 1, page 2 (Based on Scenario 2) 2 GDP per capita (1999):DAC; Access to Water (2000):Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000 Report; Life Expectancy (1998): Geographical Distribution of Financial Flows to Aid Recipients 1995-1999, OECD; Tuvalu and Adult Literacy: UNDP Pacific Human Development Report 1999. Note 1: Development indicators from the Pacific are often unreliable and should be treated with caution. They do not, as well, reflect the vulnerability of small island states. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 18 Terms of Reference 3.4. The Government of Tonga and the New Zealand Agency for International Development have jointly set up a Tonga Education Sector Study. The goal of the project is to produce a foundation which assists with efficiency and effectiveness in educational planning and delivery, and improved outcomes of future education in Tonga. 3.5. A copy of the formal Terms of Reference is attached as Appendix 1. 3.6. This study is the first time that a major international review of the education sector as a whole in Tonga has been undertaken. 3.7. This document is a final report that details the findings, outcomes and recommendations of the Study Team. It is accompanied by a companion document, a Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013). The publication of these documents follows the preparation of a Preliminary Draft Report (November 2002) that detailed the information gathering and primary analysis that was completed by the end of the first consultation stage of the review. The Preliminary Draft Report was accompanied by a companion document, a Discussion Paper, which covered the analysis, findings, options and priorities that emerged from the first part of the Study (See Appendix 6). A Draft Final Report and a Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2008) were published in February 2003 for comment, prior to finalising this report. 3.8. The study has been comprehensive, in that it has spanned pre-school to post- secondary education levels, and includes a preliminary examination of labour market needs for the future. The input of sectors outside the national education system is essential in developing any future education system in Tonga, and for this reason wide consultation has been undertaken. This broad approach has been taken to ensure that people outside the formal education system (employers in industry, people in other Government departments, parents, and members of the community, for instance) have been consulted on Tonga’s future national education and training needs. 3.9. The Study Team has examined options for improving the quality of formal education outcomes. It has focused on vocational and technical education and training with a view to strengthening existing institutions and programmes. It has examined non-formal education and training as well as the formal education sectors. All core functional areas have been reviewed, including administration and management of all education delivery, to determine positive features and weaknesses of existing programmes. 3.10. The study has also made a preliminary examination of the legal framework within which the Tongan education system operates, with a view to making recommendations in this final report for any legislative changes that may be required. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 19 Study Team 3.11. The four members of the Study Team are Vince Catherwood (Team Leader), Tupou Taufa, Christine Scott and Barry Cook. Vince Catherwood is Director of the Education Management Consultancy firm Vince Catherwood & Associates Ltd of Wellington, New Zealand. Tupou Taufa is Deputy Director of the Ministry of Education in Tonga. Christine Scott, from Hamilton, New Zealand, is a consultant with Polytechnics International New Zealand Ltd. Barry Cook is Project Manager of SAGRIC International Ltd in Adelaide, Australia. 3.12. Among its members, the team has in-depth familiarity with and understanding of the education system in Tonga, and extensive international experience in the field of education. The international experience includes working in similar fields in the Pacific (in Samoa, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and the Marshall Islands), in Asia and in Europe, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Previous Reports 3.13. This review of Tonga’s education system has been developed in the light of Tonga’s latest development plan, Strategic Development Plan 7 : 2001- 2004, released in July 2001 (SDP7). This document sets out a strategic approach based on a rolling three-year investment programme. A long term vision for the country out to 2025 is outlined in this plan, together with strategic areas and policy guidelines and the Public Sector Investment Program. Measurable objectives and economic and social goals have been set to achieve that vision. The main emphasis of SDP7 for the education sector is the realignment of post-secondary education with Tonga’s economic needs. This realignment includes giving priority to technical and vocational education, and a greater focus on coordination with non- government education systems. 3.14. This project has also assisted with the development of the draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga, already initiated by the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Education’s original draft Education Strategic Plan has been revised in the light of Strategic Development Plan 7 : 2001-2004 and the findings of this review. The result, a Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013), accompanies this Final Report as a companion document. The strategy document is a sector-wide integrated plan for education that is based on input from all stakeholders in the planning of educational development in Tonga. 3.15. The Ministry of Education Annual Reports are a rich source of data about Tonga’s education system and its performance. These documents (and particularly the Annual Reports from 2000 and 2001) have been studied in detail as part of the collection and analysis of information for this review. Much of the statistical material that has been collated has been gleaned from these reports, which are both comprehensive and thorough. Additional statistical material has been obtained from other Ministry of Education Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 20 sources, and from the 1996 census data collected by the Department of Statistics. The Education Act 1974 has also provided the Study Team with essential background about the basis of existing education policy in Tonga. 3.16. There have been numerous reports and strategy documents on various aspects of Tonga’s education system published in the relatively recent past, as a result of activities by donor or external agencies. These reports have been collected and their conclusions and recommendations studied. A bibliography attached as Appendix 2 sets out a list of the main reports and publications from the last ten years. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 21 4. Context Policy Framework for Education 4.1. The terms of reference for the Tonga Education Sector Study include the requirement to assist in the development of a strategic plan for education and training in Tonga. The Study Team took the view that such a strategic plan should arise from an agreed specification of a policy framework for education that gave direction to the future development of Tonga’s education system. Consideration of how an appropriate policy framework would be designed led inevitably to the question of whether there existed agreed aims and objectives for education in Tonga upon which a foundation policy statement for education could be constructed. 4.2. The Study Team first examined a document entitled The Aims and Objectives of Education in Tonga. This document, compiled in 1981 by a group of Tongan educators working with consultants from Macquarie University in Australia and the University of the South Pacific, provides a coherent statement of the aims of primary and secondary education in Tonga. It specifies in some detail the required knowledge, skills and attitudes under various dimensions for both primary and secondary schooling: intellectual; cultural; physical, emotional and spiritual; environmental; language; vocational; (with the addition of scientific, technological and economic dimensions for secondary schooling). 4.3. The Study Team noted that these aims and objectives, while they still remain valid, did not include any specific reference to early childhood education or to post-secondary education within their compass, and concluded these aims and objectives would need re-examination in order to ensure that they were sufficiently comprehensive, appropriate and up-to-date as a basis for the development of education in Tonga in the twenty-first century. 4.4. The Study Team then examined the Ministry of Education’s Annual Report (2001). A section3 of this document described the broad aims laid down in the Strategic Development Plan 7 (2001-2004). These aims sought to provide a balanced programme of education for the full development of children, both as individuals and as productive members of society, by developing Tonga’s human resources to meet the country’s manpower needs which were required to: • achieve a high quality of life for the people overall; • achieve a high standard of living through out the Kingdom; • respect the options of both present and future generations; • maintain a highly valued and adaptive culture; • achieve individual fulfilment; • achieve political stability; and • achieve a stable economic and financial environment with less dependence on foreign aid. 3 Annual Report 2001 Ministry of Education, pp 16-18 Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 22 4.5. These aims are very broad, and have a long-term focus. More specific strategies for their achievement need to be developed, and progress to achieve them needs to be continuously reviewed. 4.6. The agreed mission statement set out for the Ministry of Education is “to provide and sustain lifelong relevant and quality education for all Tongans”. In the same part of the Annual Report, an organisational vision, strategies and desired outcomes are described in some detail. 4.7. The Study Team accepted that this mission statement, together with its elaboration in the Annual Report, provided a sound platform upon which a policy framework for the development of education in Tonga could be constructed. 4.8. However, the Study Team also considered that there would be merit in formal ratification at Government level, at an appropriate time, of a statement which gave direction to the country’s education system. Formal ratification of an appropriate policy framework, which could include a statement of aims, objectives, and strategies, perhaps through a White Paper, would clearly signal the Government’s strategic direction for Tonga’s education system, and its commitment to capacity building through education. Ratification of an appropriate foundation policy statement, in association with approval of the revised Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013) should be considered by the Government of Tonga in the light of the findings of this study. Operating Environment 4.9. Education in Tonga is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 14, until a child has completed six years of primary education. At present primary education is free, but could be subject to payment of a fee if prescribed by the Minister of Education under the powers granted to him by the Education Act 1974. 4.10. The formal education system in Tonga consists of three stages: primary school (6 years), secondary school (7 years), and post-secondary education (from 6 months to three years or more, depending on the type of training offered). Most provision of education is offered by the Government. Each level of education is described in the primary school as a class (Class 1 to Class 6) and in the secondary school as a form (Form 1 to Form 7). The Government of Tonga may wish to consider whether it should integrate these levels and their nomenclature by naming the beginning of primary school “Year 1” (instead of Class 1) and proceeding sequentially through the school system to “Year 13” (instead Form 7). This system of naming levels of schooling has the advantage of logic and clarity, and is endorsed by common international practice. This report uses both systems of nomenclature, although this matter is not the subject of a formal recommendation. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 23 4.11. Primary schools are established on every habitable island where there are children of compulsory school age. The Education Act also includes a stipulation that parents must ensure a child receives a suitable education if a school is within “walking distance” (i.e. within two miles measured by the nearest available route). Access to primary education in Tonga is universal. 4.12. In the secondary sector, the majority of students (about 73%) study at non- government Church schools, while the remaining 27% are enrolled at Government schools. Non-Government secondary schools receive the offer of a subsidy of T$100 per student a year, and may import educational materials and equipment free of duty. These schools also charge a fee. At the post-secondary level, the Government is responsible for over 60% of the facilities with the remainder managed by non-Government and private organisations. Scope of the Project 4.13. The scope of the Tonga Education Sector Study covers all core functional areas, including administration and management of all education delivery, to provide a basis for Tonga's educational planning. 4.14. The study aims to identify and analyse the current policies, practices, structures and management systems in education delivery in both the government and non-government sectors including: • pre-school/early childhood; • primary and secondary school education; • provision of special education; • non-formal and informal education and training opportunities, including ‘education for life’; • post-secondary school level, including technical and vocational education, teacher education, and tertiary/ higher education. 4.15. The scope of the study also includes analysis of: • curriculum, teaching methods, resources and facilities; • existing education sector policies, standards and monitoring systems; • current structures and systems for managing and administering the delivery of education and training programmes; • accreditation and assessment needs. 4.16. The team is also asked to: • confirm human resource development priorities and discuss links between education and employment; • analyse the current and planned activities of external donors assisting in the education sector in Tonga; • examine the legal framework within which the Tongan education system operates. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 24 Demographic Trends 4.17. The demographic profile that includes half the country’s population under the age of 20 underlines the importance of education for the country’s future human resource development. In order to plan effectively for human resource development, it is necessary to examine population projections, although there are acknowledged difficulties in making accurate population predictions, since many complex variables (including economic factors) are involved. 4.18. In order to predict likely population outcomes, the Statistics Department4 has gathered data about the age-sex distribution of the population, and has made assumptions about future trends in fertility, mortality, and migration. Because migration was the most difficult of the three components of population growth to estimate, different assumptions of migration rates were used in order to see the effect of migration on Tonga’s population in future. 4.19. In Table 2 below, 3 migration scenarios are projected. Each of these scenarios assumes that the fertility rate falls from 4.15 to 3.0, that life expectancy for males rises from 69.8 in 1996 to 72.4 years, and that life expectancy for females rises from 71.1 to 74.9 years. The high population scenario assumes that emigration drops to zero; the medium scenario that emigration drops to 1,000 persons a year, and the low scenario that emigration remains constant at around 1,900 persons a year. Table 2: Tonga Population Projections 5 Tonga Population Projections by Age Groups 1996 - 2011 Item 1996 High Medium Low Population size 97784 133569 113427 95489 Under 15 38325 44325 36604 29744 Working Age (15-64) 54478 81830 69629 58572 Over 64 5048 7414 7196 7003 School Age (6-16) 26771 31241 26736 22687 % Under 15 39.1 33.2 32.3 31.1 % Working Age 55.7 61.3 61.4 61.5 % Over 64 5.2 5.6 6.4 61.5 % School Age 27.4 23.4 23.6 23.8 Median Age 19.9 23.7 23.6 23.4 Age Dependency Ratio* 79.5 63.2 62.9 62.6 Annual Growth Rate 0.3 2.1 1.0 0.2 Sex Ratio 103.0 103.6 104.4 105.4 *Defined as the number of persons aged under 15 and over 64 per 100 persons in the age group 15-64. 4 Demographic Analysis: Summary and Population Projections Statistics Department, September 1999. 5 Tonga Natural Resource Use and Sustainable Development Asian Development Bank, p79. Derived from South Pacific Commission 1999, Appendix Table 12. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 25 4.20. Both the medium and the low population scenarios suggest that by 2011 the absolute number of people under the age of 15 will have decreased (by comparison with 1996), and that the proportion of this age group relative to the rest of the population will also decrease, although at different rates. Even under the high scenario, although the absolute numbers of people under the age of 15 may increase (by comparison with 1996 figures), the proportion of this age group relative to the rest of the population will decrease quite markedly by 2011. 4.21. A primary determinant of the numbers of teachers required in classrooms is the number of students. An examination of school roll numbers over the last decade has revealed a reasonably consistent pattern of enrolments. There is no evidence from historical data that school rolls are not constant. Past trends, however, are not necessarily good predictors of future outcomes. 4.22. On the basis of the likely future population scenarios, a fall in school rolls appears to be a possible consequence over the next decade. Some planning for contraction in the education sector in Tonga may therefore be necessary. Any reduction in student numbers according to the medium and low scenarios, if these eventuate, would relieve pressure on education facilities, and would enable planning to occur to redirect funding towards qualitative improvements. Any projected decrease in student numbers means, however, that attention also needs to be directed to teacher supply issues. 4.23. Planning needs to occur now in order to predict the numbers of teachers that need to be trained over the next decade, so that future intakes at the Tonga Institute of Education can be managed in the light of the anticipated need for teachers. This analysis needs to consider a number of variables, including further research on demographic data, and collection and analysis of data on the required location of teachers, particular curriculum areas of shortage, the need for provision of teachers across all levels of the education system, teacher movements and teacher mobility (including analysis of data on teacher replacements, and teacher loss rates), the age composition of the teaching work force, and teacher recruitment needs in future. 4.24. Tracking of the extent to which teachers are retiring or leaving the profession also needs to occur, as does an examination of the replenishment of the teaching work force, where new teachers are coming from, and how long they stay in the profession. Any projected change to school rolls may not occur uniformly across the primary and secondary school sectors. It is conceivable, for instance, that rolls could fall in the primary schools over the next decade, but might be constant or even increase in the secondary schools (for instance, as a result of increased expectations from parents, and longer student retention in the secondary schools). Planning for teacher supply needs to take these factors into account. 4.25. The necessary planning and analysis should be initiated now so that any future problems of teacher oversupply or teacher undersupply can be identified well ahead of time, and effective strategies to deal with potential Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 26 problem situations can be developed. The analysis of teacher supply requirements should also examine the basis on which the teacher student ratio in Tonga is determined. 4.26. Other data and trends also deserve further investigation and analysis, but such investigation was not possible. The data assembled by the Study Team on matters such as numbers of school leavers, employment data (particularly as unemployment affects young people in Tonga), and migration statistics, is incomplete or anecdotal, and needs to be reviewed and updated. Better collection and analysis of data on these key dimensions is needed. Trends in the Economy 4.27. The major export commodities in Tonga in 2001 were agricultural products (squash, root crops, vanilla and kava)6, and fish (mainly tuna and snapper). Remittances make up nearly 56% of all cash foreign receipts (or nearly 40% of Gross Domestic Product). Receipts from tourism were also a significant source of revenue. 4.28. The domestic economy contracted in 2000/2001, owing to a decline in the level of activity in the agricultural sector, but in the recent Budget statement, economic growth was projected to strengthen to about 1.6% in 2001/2002, and the economic outlook predicted for 2002/2003 was real GDP growth in the order of 2.5%. However, there are some inherent risks around the level of inflation (running at over 10%) as a result of depreciation in the exchange rate and strong domestic demand fuelled by a growing fiscal deficit, a trade deficit, and a difficult situation with respect to unemployment. 4.29. Future economic growth will need to be based on the individual skills of Tongans applied in the private sector. Initiative and entrepreneurship by Tongans were responsible for the growth of the squash industry, and it is clear that Tonga’s dome stic production of agricultural products is capable of meeting the demanding requirements of world markets. These same qualities of innovation and enterprise need to be nurtured, and applied to other industries and markets. Tonga’s future economic development therefore requires an effective education sector that is geared to fostering and enhancing such skills. Public Sector Reform 4.30. A comprehensive economic and public sector reform programme was approved in principle by Cabinet in April 2000. The twin goals of the reform programme are to improve the efficiency of Government and to create an environment more conducive to economic development and growth. 6 Budget Statement for the Year Ending 30th June 2003 p.21 Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 27 4.31. The objectives of the Reform Programme are to meet these goals by establishing a framework to create a performance-based public service that will improve the delivery of services, by initiating a programme of fiscal reform, by reforming the financial sector, and by monitoring the social and economic consequences of the reform programme. The Tonga Governme nt has recognised that if it wishes to improve living standards, it must do so through sustained and equitable economic growth. Government policy will therefore focus on promoting private sector-led growth in production and employment. Public sector reform is necessary in order to redefine Government’s core functions and to ensure that these functions are carried out efficiently and effectively. 4.32. During the course of its consultations, the Study Team met with the Chief Establishment Officer and the Reform Committee coordinating the Public Sector Reform. The longer-term implications of the public sector reform for the education sector were explored during this meeting. The Study Team was told that Cabinet had approved the establishment of a Public Service Commission, and was considering legislation to introduce a Public Service Act. It was explained that the intention was that the employment of all public servants (with the exception of the Ministries of Defence and the Police) would be included within the compass of the proposed Public Service Commission, in order to develop a more performance-oriented public service and to improve productivity. All employees of the Ministry of Education, including teachers, will in future therefore be subject to the Public Service Act and its provisions. 4.33. This decision marks a first step to devolve authority for employment-related issues in the education sector. The Study Team believes that there is scope for further devolution of authority for appointments in the education sector, particularly in the field of post-secondary education, with a view to encouraging autonomy and greater effectiveness and efficiency. There is also scope for further development of performance appraisal systems in the teaching profession as a means of improving the quality of teaching. These issues are explored in more detail later in this report, particularly in the section on Management and Control of Education, where several options for consideration are presented. 4.34. The proposed Public Sector Reform will also create training needs for the Public Service. The skills that will be required in the new public service environment include change management skills, well-developed managerial expertise, and information technology skills. There will also be a need to develop skills such as enterprise and entrepreneurship skills, and business development and management skills for those people who will move from the public service into the private sector. The education sector (both public institutions and private training establishments) will have an important role in assisting with the training required to foster and develop these skills. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 28 5. Description of Tonga’s Education System Early Childhood Education Overview Early Childhood Provision 5.1. Early childhood education is considered to be primarily the responsibility of parents in Tonga, and no Government funding is available to support this sector of education, although a number of pre-school centres have been established. This field of education appears to be expanding rapidly as a result of demand. 5.2. The Tonga Pre-School Association is an active community group that, since 1976, has been working in the field of pre-school education. It has a number of constituent member groups associated with it in Tongatapu and the Outer Islands that offer pre-school education to young children. This Association reports that it has 26 members operating pre-schools on Tongatapu, 8 on Vava’u, 2 on Ha’apai, 4 on ‘Eua, 3 on Niuafo’ou, and 3 on Niuatoputapu, making a total of 46 members in all operating throughout Tonga. An estimated 1000 children receive pre-school education through these arrangements. 5.3. An additional small number of mission and private pre-school centres offer alternative pre-school education programmes, although the exact number of these other groups operating is not known. The Study Team did consult with one such group on ‘Eua. 5.4. Most early childhood centres in Tonga offer programmes for children in the age ranges from 3 to 5. Children in Tonga who turn 5 after 30 April each year cannot start school until the following January, and therefore pre-school centres offer the only formalised avenue for learning experiences for this particular group of young children. Curriculum 5.5. In January 2002 teachers from different villages and islands came together under the sponsorship of the Tonga Pre-School Association to participate in workshops on Child Development, Teaching Skills and Strategic Planning. 29 teachers were involved, from 17 preschools in Tongatapu, 2 preschools in 'Eua and 1 in Niua, with assistance from Judy Bentley and Debby Barnes, trainers from AusAID/TAFE Global. The outcome was a document entitled Tonga PreSchool Syllabus. In this document common goals for children in early childhood centres were identified, in two parts: skills in developmental areas (physical, cognitive, social, emotional and language), and subject content. The syllabus provides a useful guide for teachers to develop early childhood developmental programmes. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 29 Funding 5.6. Provision of facilities, teacher salaries if required, and learning resources for early childhood education depends on the ability of the local committee or the local community to provide a venue or to raise funds, and on the ability of parents to pay fees. Fees are generally relatively low (between T$30 to T$60 a term) but some parents have difficulty in finding this amount, and the fees do not cover costs. The Committees that run the centres therefore need to look to other avenues such as the Churches, the community or external donors for financial support. Considerable efforts go into fund-raising in order to ensure these centres can continue to operate, but it is clear that many of them are having difficulty in ensuring their financial viability. Teachers 5.7. Teachers in early childhood centres are largely volunteers untrained in early childhood education, although some people working in these centres are retired primary school teachers. Payment for early childhood teachers is not guaranteed, although some centres contribute a small amount to a teacher’s stipend. Any pay for teachers, if provided, is therefore low. One kindergarten provided wages of T$30 a teacher for each fortnight. The quality of the teaching in pre-school centres varies as organisers cannot generally afford to pay high wages for well-qualified staff. 5.8. Some training for prospective early childhood education teachers is available through the University of the South Pacific Extension Centre where modules in early childhood education that can lead to either a Certificate or a Diploma in Early Childhood Education are offered. These courses are available through distance or flexible delivery. No early childhood teacher training is offered through the Tonga Institute of Education. Provision of trained early childhood teachers on Tonga is therefore an issue. 5.9. One early childhood centre on ‘Eua has been supported by the Government of Japan which has assisted by providing the services of a Japanese volunteer, who is also a trained early childhood teacher. This person has been able to conduct useful workshops for other untrained early childhood teachers on ‘Eua. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 30 Primary Education Overview Schools 5.10. One hundred and seven government schools and eleven church schools offered primary education for 17,026 students in 2001. 52.8% of the enrolments in 2001 were male, while 47.2% were female. The Free Wesleyan Church operated 7 schools for 550 students, The Seventh Day Adventist Church operated 2 schools catering for 625 students and the Tokaikolo and Baha’i faiths operated one each, catering for 258 and 126 students respectively. 5.11. Primary schools range in enrolments from 985 in the metropolitan area at Nuku’alofa GPS to three and four students in a few island schools. Only three schools, all on Tongatapu, have enrolments over 500, while 13, mostly remote schools, have 25 or fewer students. Those schools at the lower end of the range of enrolments are a consequence of the long standing government commitment that students should not have to walk more than two miles to school. 5.12. Primary school enrolments for the years 1995 to 2001 are summarised in the following table. Enrolments have been reasonably constant over the last seven years. The number of primary teachers has also increased gradually, in line with the gradual increase in primary school rolls, although the increase in teacher numbers has been more marked in 2000 and 2001. There were 823 primary teachers in the system in 2001, of whom 741 were employed in Government schools and 82 in non-Government schools. Table 3: Primary School Enrolments, 1995-20017 Primary School Enrolments, 1995 - 2001 Male Female Total Year Schools Enrolmts Enrolmts Enrolmts Teachers 1995 116 8856 7796 16652 784 1996 116 9027 7830 16857 804 1997 116 8970 7678 16648 792 1998 117 8708 7498 16206 752 1999 117 8934 7718 16652 745 2000 117 8899 7798 16697 830 2001 118 8985 8041 17026 823 Source: Annual Reports of the Ministry of Education. 7 Source: Annual Reports Ministry of Education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 31 Budget 5.13. The budget allocated for the operation of the Primary Division of MOE was T$6,257,595 in 2001, of which 90% was devoted to salaries and allowances. School supplies comprised less than 1% of the allocation. 5.14. In 2001, the cost to the government of providing primary education was T$404 per child (= budget allocation/govt prim enrolment). Resources and Facilities 5.15. Most schools are of solid construction and are generally reported to be structurally sound. However, a shortage of funds for maintenance means that the effective lifetime of most schools is reduced significantly. Schools visited by the Study Team exhibited little or no evidence of any recent maintenance and some in exposed locations on foreshores were in serious need of repair. 5.16. At a number of the metropolitan primary schools on Tongatapu and Vava’u serious classroom overcrowding (Nuku’alofa GPS) and lack of adequate playground areas (Liviela GPS) were observed. This was in contrast to other schools, often in village settings not too distant from the more populous centres, where small classes and abundant playground areas provided a much better environment (Ha’amonga GPS). Students 5.17. Total enrolments in primary schools fluctuated around the 16,600 mark for the period from 1995 to 2000 but have increased to around 17,000 for 2001 and 2002. It is not clear if this signals any longer term trend or is merely a temporary aberration. 5.18. In 2001 some 15,467 students (91%) attended the 107 government primary schools and 1,559 students attended the 11 church schools. Boys make up 55.7% of the total primary enrolment. However, the disparity is exacerbated by a greater number of boys repeating at Year 6 (Class 6) level than girls. In Years 1-5 (Classes 1 to 5), boys comprise approximately 51.7% of the enrolments. 5.19. Enrolments in the government primary schools have remained static at about 15,400 over at least the last six years, while those in the church schools have increased by almost one third, from 1,179 to 1,559, in the same time. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 32 Parental Involvement 5.20. Parents make extensive contributions to their children’s primary education through school contributions and through the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). The PTA is responsible for school repair and maintenance, for the cost of utilities and for most of the additional support material for teaching/learning. 5.21. The MOE estimated in 1998 that parents contributed T$176 per child per year towards the cost of educating their children, some 39% of the cost to the government of providing primary education in that year. Teachers 5.22. Over 68% of primary teachers are female, a proportion which has remained relatively constant over the past 5 years. 5.23. The Teacher:Pupil Ratio, which is very commendable when compared with that of other Pacific countries, has remained constant at approximately 1:21 over the past 5 years. 5.24. Teachers in government primary schools are generally well qualified with approximately 51% having Diploma or Degree qualifications and only 5% being trained uncertificated teachers. The proportion of untrained teachers and trained uncertificated teachers in the non-government primary school system, however, at 38%, is relatively high. 5.25. The Study Team has received anecdotal reports that teachers in government schools are paid well relative to other public servants. Teachers in the church system schools are not as well paid as those in the government schools and, in general, do not have access to superannuation. Church representatives claimed to have as their longer term goal attaining equivalence of salaries with the government employed teachers. 5.26. Church school systems are attempting to upgrade the qualifications of their teachers by, for example, sponsoring unqualified teachers to attend TIOE on full salary. They are also attempting to improve the working conditions, including salaries and access to superannuation, for their teachers. Secondary Entrance Examination (SEE) 5.27. This examination is conducted at Year 6 (Class 6) level to screen students for entry into high schools. In most cases those achieving the highest grades gain entry to the government high schools which generally have lower fees than schools run by the churches. 5.28. The examination consists of four one-hour papers. Tongan Studies, Environmental Science and Mathematics are set in Tongan language and English in English. Marks for the different subjects are scaled and results Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 33 show very little variation in mean scores between different districts throughout the country. 5.29. The age range of students sitting for the SEE examination varies from 9 years to 14 years, distributed as shown in Table 4 below. Table 4: Age range of Candidates for the SEE in 20018 Age in yrs 9 10 11 12 13 14 Other Total % Female 45 53 49 38 25 30 33 46 Total 11 536 1,754 856 104 10 15 3,280 5.30. The figures above suggest that boys make up the majority of the repeaters and analysis of 2002 enrolments indicates that boys make up over 55% of the enrolments in Year 6 (Class 6). 5.31. During interviews, many teachers suggested that much of the teaching at all levels in the primary schools was directed at obtaining the best grades for students in the SEE. Many schools also reported that additional lessons were often conducted for Year 6 (Class 6) students in the afternoons, evenings and holidays to improve their chances of success in the SEE. Repeaters 5.32. In 2001, from a total candidature of 3,280, there were 1,032 students (31.5%) repeating the SEE, with some 1.5% of these sitting for the third time. Curriculum 5.33. The formal primary school curriculum includes Language Education (English and Tongan Studies), handwriting, nature study, social studies, physical education, health, music, and art and craft. Environmental science is the “generic” subject in the curriculum that includes science (nature study), social studies and health. The primary school curriculum is supplemented by schemes of work and a range of learning support materials. No overarching curriculum document exists. 5.34. No pre-school curriculum has been adopted formally by the Government in Tonga. Assessment 5.35. The Secondary Entrance Examination (SEE) at Year 6 (Class 6) tests students in Tongan, English, Mathematics and Environmental Science. The main purpose of the exam is selection for entrance to the government High Schools, especially Tonga High School. After-hours classes at Year 6 (Class 6) level to “coach” students in exam subjects are widespread. 8 Annual Report 2001, Ministry of Education Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 34 Approximately 30% of the 3,300 candidates for the SEE are repeaters attempting the exam for at least the second time leading to a distorted age profile (9 years to 14 years) and an increase in the percentage of boys in Year 6 (Class 6). Girls seem to outperform boys in the SEE. For example, there is a 60% to 40% ratio of girls to boys in Tonga High School, which normally attracts the highest cut-off score for entry. 5.36. In the early years of primary education, there is little evidence of adequate assessment of basic skills, including assessment of literacy and numeracy development, to diagnose where individual assistance is required. 5.37. Assessment in the primary school appears to be dominated by the SEE, to which many teachers seem to teach. The number of repeaters suggests that many parents place high value on success in the SEE, although there seems little evidence that repeating actually improves the marks obtained. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 35 Secondary Education Overview Schools 5.38. Secondary education in Tonga covers Years 7-13 (Forms 1-7, including Class 7). In 2001 there were 40 secondary schools in Tonga with 13,442 students. Of the 40 schools, 9 (22.5%) were operated by Government, with the remaining schools managed by nine non-government education authorities. These include: the Free Wesleyan Church (11 schools); the Latter Day Saints (9 schools); the Roman Catholic Church (4 schools); the Free Church of Tonga (3 schools). The remainder are run by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Tokailolo Church, the Anglican Church, the Bahai Faith and the ‘Atenisi Institute. 5.39. Nine Government secondary schools catered for only 3,577 students in 2001 while 31 non-Government system schools catered for 9,865 students. Table 5: Secondary School Systems in Tonga in 20019 System No of Enrolment No of Av Teacher: Schools Teachers Student Ratio Government 9 3,577 254 1:14 Free Wesleyan 11 3,307 284 1:12 Roman Catholic 4 2,169 105 1:21 Latter Day Saints 7 2,186 188 1:12 Seventh Day Adventist 3 661 29 1:23 Free Church of Tonga 3 646 69 1:9 Anglican 1 502 32 1:16 Tokaikolo Church 1 266 36 1:7 ‘Atenisi Institute 1 74 18 1:4 Bahai - 54 7 1:7 Totals 40 13,442 1,022 1:13 5.40. The majority of secondary schools (23) are on Tongatapu, with 6 in Vava’u, 6 in Ha’apai (where a new Government secondary school opened in 2001), 3 in ‘Eua and one each in Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’ou. Seventh Form study is available on Tongatapu, and in Vava’u, in 4 schools. 5.41. The secondary enrolments have ranged from a figure of 13,143 in 1996 to a high of 14,995 in 2000. The enrolment figure in 2001 was 13,442, a decrease of just over 10% over the Year 2000 figure. The decrease in enrolments in 2001 almost all occurred in the Church schools. In 2001, there were 9,865 students (73.4%) enrolled at Non-Government secondary schools, and 3,577 students (26.6%) enrolled at Government secondary schools. 9 Annual Report 2001, Ministry of Education. The Bahai School is counted as a primary school although it has secondary enrolments. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 36 5.42. Secondary school enrolments for the years 1995 to 2001 are summarised in the following table. Table 6: Secondary School Enrolments10 Secondary School Enrolments, 1995 - 2001 Male Female Total Year Schools Enrolmts Enrolmts Enrolmts Teachers 1995 40 7275 6794 14069 848 1996 40 6477 6666 13143 851 1997 39 7262 7015 14277 856 1998 39 6633 6716 13349 844 1999 39 7186 6801 13987 961 2000 39 7638 7317 14955 993 2001 40 6746 6696 13442 1022 5.43. The most recent census data (1996) indicated that 95% of Tongans stay at school up to the age of 14. At age 15-19, 65% of males and 71% of females are still attending school. 50.1% of enrolments in secondary schools in 2001 were male, while 49.9 % were female. This gender balance has been largely consistent overall during the previous 5 year period. 5.44. However, in the two government secondary schools on Tongatapu, generally regarded as the most desirable schools, there were 1,186 males and 631 females in 2001 (35% female). This difference can be attributed to Tonga College being for male students only, and is in contrast to the slightly higher representation of female students in government schools on other islands (55% female), where schools are all co-educational. 5.45. Non-government school systems (with the exception of the Latter Day Saints) receive a government subsidy of T$100 per student (an increase of T$50 from previous years). In addition, non-government education authorities may apply for importation of materials and equipment for educational purposes free of import duty. 10 Source: Annual Reports, Ministry of Education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 37 Subjects and Examinations 5.46. The subjects available and examinations offered are summarised below in a table from the Ministry of Education’s 2001 Annual Report. Table 7: Secondary Schooling in Tonga.11 _ Age Years of LEVEL Subjects Taught: Schooling Forms 1 & 2 Maths, Science, English, Social Science, Tongan Studies, Health, Music ; Plus one FORMS 1 – 7 choice from: Industrial Arts, Home Economics, Agricultural Studies. Examinations offered: Forms 3 & 4 Maths, Science, English, Tongan Studies, Form 2 (Common History or Geography, or both; plus 2 Examination: Middle Schools choices from: Economics, Accounting, only) Computer Studies, Home Economics, Industrial Arts, Agriculture, French, Form 5 (Tonga School Japanese, Music, Commercial Studies. Certificate) Form 5 12- Seven Tongan & English compulsory, plus 18 Form 6 (Pacific Senior choices of 3/4/5 from: Maths, Science, years Secondary Certificate) Geography, History, Accounting, Economics, Industrial Arts, Japanese, Form 7 (N.Z. University French, Computer Studies, Biology, Bursaries) H/Economics, Arts, Music and Agricultural Studies. SECONDARY Form 6 (English as medium of English is compulsory, plus choices of instruction) 4/5/6 from: Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Accounting, Economics, Geography, History, Computer Studies, Agricultural Studies, Development Studies, Japanese, French, Tongan Studies, Technology. Form 7 Choices of 5 from: English, Maths (Calculus), Maths (Statistics), Geography, History, Accounting, Economics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agricultural Studies, Computing Studies (Vocational). 5.47. All schools follow the Tonga national curriculum with the exception of ‘Atenisi Institute which offers the New South Wales School Certificate and Higher School Certificate. 11 Annual Report 2001,, Tonga Ministry of Education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 38 Budget 5.48. The budget allocated for the operation of the Secondary Division of MOE was T$8,246,119 in 2001, of which T$690,350 was devoted to grants to non-government schools through the T$100 per head subsidy. The seven LDS schools, catering for 2,186 students, have opted not to receive the subsidy. Of the total budget, a further amount of T$4,615,028 was devoted to the establishment of Ha’apai High School in 2001. 5.49. Removing the subsidy and the cost of establishing Ha’apai High School from the above total allocation suggest that, in 2001, the average cost to the government of providing secondary education in a government high school was T$84012 per student. This is about twice the cost per student of government primary education. 5.50. By comparison, the annual running cost of Liahona High School (LDS church) was reported to be in the vicinity of T$3m, which equates to T$3,000 per student for its nominal capacity of 1000 students. Indications were that the average cost of education for most church secondary school students was somewhere in the vicinity of T$300 to T$400 per student, including the government subsidy of T$100. Estimated figures relating to costs per student, however, need to be treated with some care. It is problematic trying to determine costs per student in most church system secondary schools (and indeed in Government schools) because of the difficulty in measuring parental and PTA input. Resources and Facilities 5.51. As for the primary schools, most secondary schools are of solid construction and are generally reported to be structurally sound. However, a shortage of funds for maintenance means that the effective lifetime of most schools is reduced significantly. Schools visited by the Tonga Education Sector Study (TESS) team exhibited little or no evidence of any recent maintenance. 5.52. Damage caused to Vava’u High School by the cyclone at the beginning of 2002 still needed repair at the time of the team’s visit in October 2002, owing to the lack of appropriate equipment on the islands to effect repairs. The lack of repairs meant that structural damage was being exacerbated by rain continuing to enter the buildings some ten months after the original event. 5.53. A new government high school, funded by the Chinese government, was established on Ha’apai in 2001 and is gradually building student enrolments, and the establishment of the school does appear to be keeping some families in Ha’apai. The establishment of this school had an initial negative effect on enrolments at church system schools on Ha’apai. However, enrolments at these schools are reported to be recovering. 12 T$3,003,399/ 3,577 = Budget allocation/Government secondary enrolment Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 39 Parental Involvement 5.54. Parents make extensive contributions to their children’s secondary education through school fees and through the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Most church secondary schools rely heavily on school fees and fund raising activities for their ongoing funding of teacher salaries, operating costs and essential maintenance. The government subsidy possibly comprises some 20 - 25% of the cost of secondary education in church schools. However, this cost is difficult to quantify precisely, owing to the lack of transparent and readily available financial statements. Teachers 5.55. The Teacher:Pupil Ratio in secondary schools has fallen from 1:17 to 1:13 since 1997 partly as a result of falling enrolments, especially in 2001, and also because of a steady increase in the numbers of secondary teachers. It is not clear if the fall in the teacher:pupil ratio is merely due to normal fluctuations or is part of a more permanent trend. 5.56. There were 1,022 teachers in 2001, of whom 497 (48.6%) were female. The total figure represents an increase from 993 in the previous year. Almost all of the increased numbers of teachers occurred in the Church schools (from 733 in Year 2000, to 768 in Year 2001). 5.57. Teachers’ qualifications are relatively high for a Pacific Nation with 6% holding Masters or higher qualifications, 23% with Bachelors degrees, 44% with a teaching Diploma, and 18% with teaching or secondary matriculation certificates. 5.58. Teachers in government schools are generally more highly qualified and better paid than their counterparts in the church schools. Church school systems are attempting to upgrade the qualifications of their teachers by, for example, sponsoring unqualified teachers to attend TIOE on full salary. They are also attempting to improve the working conditions, including salaries and access to superannuation, for their teachers. Student Progression 5.59. From a total enrolment of 13,442 in 2001, there were 763 students (5.7%) repeating across the secondary schools. Approximately 40% (306) of these students were repeating Year 11 (Form 5). 5.60. Measuring progression through the secondary system is difficult owing to the incidence of repeating years of schooling. Repeating a year of schooling allows students to qualify for progression, or to improve grades and thereby the chance to gain entry to the favoured government schools, notably Tonga High School. Repeating occurs in varying degrees both among and within the various education systems, with some schools requiring students to sit exams and pass to the next level at the end of every year of schooling. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 40 5.61. Additional year levels, such as a Class 7 (for students who have not qualified to progress to Year 7 (Form 1)) and a Lower Form 5 (for students who will not sit Tonga School Certificate) have been added to the system. Figures from the MOE Annual Report 200113 show that during 2001, there were 925 pupils in total in Class 7, Lower Form 5, or repeating Years 7-10 (Forms 1-4). An additional 306 students were repeating Year 11 (Form 5) (13.5% of the total Year 11 (Form 5) enrolment). In addition there are the “dropouts” identified in the Ministry of Education’s Annual Report for 2001 (those who leave school during the academic year.) Students in this “drop-out” category in 2001 numbered 302 over these five years of secondary schooling (up to and including Year 11 (Form 5)). When all these students (those who are repeaters, in Class 7, in Lower Form 5, and “dropouts”) are added together, a relatively high number of students who are not progressing to the next year level is obtained. This situation makes it difficult to track progression of any cohort. Curriculum 5.62. No overarching curriculum document setting out the framework for secondary education, links with primary subjects, or relationships between the various offerings was available for the Study Team to peruse. 5.63. The medium of instruction in secondary schools is English, although teachers reported that it was necessary to explain some concepts in Tongan at Years 7 & 8 (Forms 1 and 2) to enhance student understanding. Results from the questionnaire indicate that not all schools are vigilant about the use of English as the medium of instruction at secondary school. 5.64. At Years 7 & 8 (Forms 1 and 2) subject offerings include Social Science and Health, which do not lead to the Tonga School Certificate (TSC) at Year 11 (Form 5). At Years 9, 10 & 11 (Forms 3, 4 & 5) separate subjects of History, Geography, Economics, Computer Studies and Accounting may be offered. Although not examined in the national examination, Religious Instruction is also offered in church schools. 5.65. Some seventeen subjects leading to the TSC at Year 11 (Form 5) are offered across the secondary schools in Tonga. Thirteen of these subjects are examined and administered within Tonga and are governed by syllabi dating from 1987-9. The eleven general subjects originally offered were: Tongan Studies, English, Accounting, Mathematics, Science, Economics, History, Geography, Home Economics, Industrial Arts and Agricultural Science. Japanese Language was introduced in 1995 and Computer Studies in 1996. Although the majority of the syllabi are dated 1987-9, examination prescriptions for many of the subjects have been updated more recently. Four other subjects, Biology, French, Art and Music are offered, but the examinations are set and marked and/or moderated in New Zealand. 13 Annual Report, 2001. Appendix 3 (1). Secondary and Middle Schools – Enrolment 2001. Table 1. Ministry of Education Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 41 5.66. Syllabi, Teachers’ Guides, Pupil Books, and Examination Prescriptions produced by the Curriculum Development Unit are available for purchase by the teachers and schools in each of the secondary systems. 5.67. The subjects of Indus trial Arts and Home Economics (vocational and technical education) attract a relatively small number of candidates from Years 9–11 (Forms 3 to 5), especially in relation to other option subjects such Computer Studies, Economics and Accounting. A number of schools do not offer Industrial Arts as an option in Year 11 (Form 5). The curriculum for these subjects has been criticised as too theoretical and lacking in specialisation at higher levels. This is compounded by difficulties in resourcing the options and an inadequate supply of trained teachers. 5.68. The secondary curriculum in Industrial Arts and Home Economics has been reviewed by the Tonga Curriculum Unit during 2001/2 to create a Scope and Sequence document for a Years 7-11 (Forms 1-5) subject called Technology (yet to be approved) which will replace Industrial Arts and Home Economics. Attempts have been made to make this a single, gender- inclusive subject to link with PSSC Technology which was first offered by some schools in 2001. The School Certificate Agricultural Science Prescription has also been reviewed with changes to be introduced in 2003. Both developments allow for an increase in internal assessment within the overall assessment regime. Assessment 5.69. The Year 8 Form 2 Common Examination consists of five compulsory subjects and is compulsory for all government schools. The main purpose, as stated in MOE reports, is to check the progress of students and teachers after the first two years of secondary education. Non-government schools wishing to take part may do so. The examination is also used for selection of Year 8 (Form 2) students from Talafo’ou Government Middle School and Tonga Side School for entrance to Year 9 (Form 3) at Tonga High School. In 2001, there were 77 and 72 candidates for this examination from Tonga Side School and Talafo’ou Middle School respectively and of these 41 (30%) qualified for entrance to Tonga High School in 2001. 5.70. The Transfer Examination allows a small number of students to transfer into Years 8 to 11 (Forms 2 to 5) in government secondary schools. Resource constraints have led to very few students meeting the criteria for entry to Tonga High School and Tonga College. This examination is conducted in December and January every year. It has led to a drain in already severely limited resources in these schools and has stretched the limits of the teaching and learning resources available. This led to a revision in the criteria for entry. As a result, only a few students who sat these examinations met the criteria for entrance into Tonga High School and Tonga College in 2001. 5.71. The Tonga School Certificate (TSC) Examination introduced in 1988 is the first major nation wide examination in the secondary system. Taken in Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 42 Year 11 (Form 5), it determines entry to Year 12 (Form 6). Approximately 1,800 candidates (26% of whom are repeaters) in Year 11 (Form 5) sit for the TSC each year in seventeen subjects, with about 40% qualifying to enter Year 12 (Form 6). In 2001 a total of 1,849 candidates (56% female) entered for the examination, 676 (37%) qualified for entry to Year 12 (Form 6), and all candidates were issued with a certificate showing the grades awarded for each subject. Prior to 1995, only 20 to 25% of students qualified to enter Year 12 (Form 6). However, since 1995 the number qualifying has risen to 37 to 43% of candidates. This increase may reflect an increase in the number of places in Year 12 (Form 6) becoming available. 5.72. The Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate (PSSC) examination attracted 1,103 candidates at Year 12 (Form 6) in 2001 and, of these, approximately 48% qualified for university entrance. The PSSC, which replaced New Zealand University Entrance in 1989, is a regional examination, administered by the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA), and is used to determine entry to Year 13 (Form 7) and entrance to TIOE, other post-secondary education and training opportunities, and the civil service. 5.73. The final school-based examination is the New Zealand University Bursaries/Scholarships examination. One hundred and seventy eight candidates at Year 13 (Form 7) sat the NZ University Bursaries Examination in 2001 and 77 of these qualified for entry to New Zealand universities. The majority (110) were students from Tonga High School Year 13 (Form 7). Successful candidates may win Tonga government and aid donor scholarships for further study. 5.74. During the period 1996-2001, of those students sitting Tonga School Certificate, between 37% and 43% qualified for Year 12 (Form 6) each year. In Year 12 (Form 6) the percentage of students sitting PSSC and qualifying for University has risen from 40% in 1997 to 48% in 2001. Approximately 15% of students progress from Year 12 (Form 6) to Year 13 (Form 7). The percentage of females continuing in school at Years 12 & 13 (Forms 6 and 7) has increased relative to males, despite the slightly higher number of boys in secondary schools in total. Educational participation and achievement on the Outer Islands is lower than that found on Tongatapu, with a lower percentage of students achieving recognised qualifications. 5.75. Largely owing to the method of selection for places in secondary schools, the government schools, notably Tonga High School, have higher success rates than non-government schools in these examinations (with the exception of Queen Salote College). 5.76. The New Zealand Secretary of Education has recently written (October 22, 2002), “It is impracticable to run University Bursaries alongside NCEA Level 3 and the new Scholarships examinations. Consequently we wish to make it clear that the University Bursaries qualification will not be available in 2004.” There is now a strong imperative to decide on a replacement examination for Year 13 (Form 7) in Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 43 Post-Secondary Education Overview Post-Secondary Education Provision 5.77. The Government of Tonga is responsible for over 60% of the facilities and education provision for formal post-secondary education and training. MOE provision encompasses a number of institutes loosely coordinated under the umbrella of the Community Development and Training Centre (CDTC) and the Deputy Director of Non Formal and Post Secondary Education. These institutions provide a range of programmes, full and part-time. Entry criteria usually require PSSC, and places are increasingly filled by people with Year 13 (Form 7) completion and qualifications. Fees are charged, but the institutes are subsidised by the government. 5.78. Approximately 40% of formal post-secondary provision of education and training is delivered by Non-Government agencies or private providers. The Churches are the key players in non-Government provision. 5.79. On-job training by employers plays a significant role in training of the labour force. Post-Secondary Government Institutions 5.80. There are 12 Government funded post-secondary institutions. 5.81. The Community Development and Training Centre (CDTC) was established by the Tonga Government in 1985 with a brief to coordinate and expand post-secondary education and training opportunities in Tonga. The Centre provides certificate and diploma programmes in Accounting, Agricultural Studies, and Tourism and Hospitality. Programmes are studied part time by students in employment and are staffed by part time teachers from the civil service, industry and the community. Fees are subsidised by the government. There are approximately 140 students enrolled across the range of programmes. Facilities for classes include those located at CDTC, the Tonga Institute of Education (TIOE), the Distance Education and Communications Centre (DECC), and Tonga College. AusAID provided assistance in establishing CDTC and strengthening programmes in a project which has recently completed. Commencing in 2002, graduates with a Diploma in Accounting may enrol on-line using the new facilities of the Tonga Institute of Higher Learning located at CDTC and complete a degree in Accounting from The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand (TOPNZ). 5.82. Another role of the CDTC is to provide short non-formal courses and retraining programmes, non-vocational adult courses including a range of general, liberal studies and leisure type activities, and to provide courses to overcome the deficiencies of students. There appears to be little current activity in these areas. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 44 5.83. Tonga Institute of Education (TIOE) trains primary and secondary school teachers in government and non-government education systems. It offers a three-year pre-service diploma programme for school leavers, with a credit of one year for serving teachers with a Class I Certificate and 5 years teaching experience, and for school leavers with Bursary qualifications. It also offers a one-year post-graduate Diploma in Teaching for Graduate Teachers, developed with the support of New Zealand Official Development Assistance (NZODA) during the Tonga Institutional Strengthening Project (TISP) project during 1998-2001. The TISP project also supported curriculum review, professional development and quality system development at TIOE. The undergraduate Diploma in Education is recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) as comparable to the level of a Diploma of Teaching from a New Zealand College of Education or other recognised training provider in New Zealand. 5.84. In 2002 TIOE moved into facilities vacated by Tonga National Form 7 and is now located over the road from CDTC. TIOE had 341 students enrolled on full-year programmes in 2001, and is the largest post-secondary provider in Tonga. The total intake for 2002 includes 58 secondary trainees, 27 primary trainees and 13 students on the Graduate Diploma. A further 15 students have enrolled to become teachers in technical subjects and, under a newly developed pathway, are currently engaged in diploma studies in technical or practical subjects at other institutes before completing a final year to develop teaching and learning knowledge and skills at TIOE. TIOE has in recent years also been training teachers for Tuvalu. The percentage of males enrolled across all year levels in 2001 was 40%. 5.85. Until 2001 the government sponsored a number of students by paying the fee (T$125 each semester) and a student allowance (T$1700 each year). These students were then guaranteed placement in a government school. From 2003 there will be no more government-sponsored graduates, and graduates will be available to work in all education systems. The Church education systems still sponsor students to TIOE by paying the tuition fee and a living allowance. 5.86. TIOE staff are part of the general pool of government education employees and there is considerable movement of staff in and out of TIOE from other sectors of the government education system. 5.87. The Distance Education and Communications Centre (DECC) is responsible for supporting distance education programmes at post- secondary level, and offers education and training in Information Technology for the private and public sectors. Formal programmes include a full-time Certificate and Diploma in Information Technology and short courses are provided for government departments and the public. It also contains the schools broadcasting unit and a video production facility. 5.88. Tonga Institute of Higher Education (TIHE) was opened in July 2002 in new buildings beside CDTC. The buildings contain a number of internet linked computer suites and a video-conferencing system (identified as the Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 45 Centre for Information Technology). DECC courses are now held in this facility and it is used by accounting students undertaking the TOPNZ degree. Accounting diploma graduates are required to successfully complete a further 11 courses to receive a degree, and they pay TOPNZ a fee of T$600.00 per course. Information Technology students enrolled on DECC programmes are also using TIHE facilities, as are some students from the Queen Salote School of Nursing which has an articulation agreement with Auckland University of Technology. A proposal has been made to coordinate all government tertiary provision under TIHE. 5.89. The Tonga Institute of Science and Technology (TIST) (also known as the Tonga Maritime and Polytechnic Institute - TMPI) offers technical and trade training. This Institute has two main divisions: the Maritime Division and the Technical Division. The Maritime Division provides training for Maritime Officer Class 4, Engineer Class 4, deckhands, motormen, stewards and cooks for shipping companies, and a range of short courses for people involved in the maritime industry. The Technical Division offers programmes in Mechanical Fitting, Electrical, Automotive Mechanic and Carpentry & Joinery trades. Students are employed and attend short and block courses of 2 to 23 weeks on release from the workplace. A new one year course, the Certificate in General Engineering and Construction, was introduced in 2001. Targeted at Year 12 & 13 (Form 6 and 7) graduates, it aims to provide an introduction to the 4 trade areas, after which students will specialise. Initial interest from school leavers was disappointing, with only half the predicted intake in 2001. However, numbers have increased in 2002. Trade testing and certification is also carried out by the Institute in some trades on behalf of the Ministry of Education. 5.90. Each division caters for approximately 100 students undertaking formal study leading to qualifications (short industry courses enrol additional students). A small number of females is now entering training, but the trainees are predominantly male. 5.91. Some workshops have been very well equipped by aid donors in the past, but there is a need to maintain currency of equipment and provide adequate equipment in developing areas such as electronics. There is a shortage of qualified and trained teachers for the programmes. Further development of this programme will also mean increased employment of more qualified and trained teachers. 5.92. The Short Term Training Centre (previously known as the Civil Service Training Centre) offers short-term work-related training courses. The Centre moved from the Prime Minister’s Department to the Ministry of Education (MOE) in 2002. It identifies the training needs of the civil service, private sector and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs). It manages the delivery of short in-country courses, and acts as the counterpart agency for In-Country Training programmes for AusAID and NZAID, and for NZAID overseas attachment programmes. In recent years the range of courses has begun to diversify, involving more private sector participants and looking to provide youth support. These courses include Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 46 such various topics as trade training, handling complaints, customer service, sports and fitness training, child-care training, security training, vegetable production, tractor maintenance and repair, irrigation management and outboard motor maintenance. 5.93. Courses are offered on Tongatapu and also in the outer islands. The Centre also administers a programme funded by NZAID whereby civil service employees study for the Diploma of Public Sector Management offered through distance education by Massey University. 5.94. Post-secondary education and training occurs in a range of other government ministries. The Queen Salote School of Nursing is administered by the Ministry of Health. It recruits and trains school leavers with PSSC or Year 13 (Form 7) to become nurses in government hospitals and health centres throughout the Kingdom. In 2002 a new Diploma programme has been introduced, leading to a joint award with Auckland University of Technology. This award will give Diploma graduates a qualification at the same level as the TIOE Diploma. The intake of students (25) is limited by available space, and many more students apply than are accepted. There is a shortage of nurses in Tonga, partly because many graduates migrate since the nursing qualification is favourably recognised by New Zealand. There are two males enrolled in the new Diploma class and 5 have graduated in previous years. Fees are T$125 per semester. Hostel accommodation is available for trainees. 5.95. The school also provides in-service and specialised training for nursing staff, as well as a certificate programme in nursing for both the private and public sectors. 5.96. Tonga Health Training Centre. The Ministry of Health provides non- formal radio and TV health awareness programmes to the public. It also offers training for health officers, public health inspectors, X-ray assistants, laboratory assistants, district medical officers and dental chair-side assistants. These programmes are now provided at the Hospital by existing staff and using hospital facilities, since a separate training facility previously used is no longer available. Training is based on imported curricula adapted to local conditions, but there is no formal recognition of a qualification gained. An intake of trainees (10) is made when there is a perceived skill shortage in an area. The only course currently running is for dental chair-side assistants. At the village/community level, health programmes are provided to experienced women in the area of child delivery. 5.97. Tonga Defence Force. The Department of Defence offers short-term training in the areas of building construction, electrical, and motor mechanics to provide for its own requirements. It also administers the Royal School of Science. This school was established in 1998, and offers access to programmes up to a Bachelor's level on Defence and Information Technology through distance and on-line learning. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 47 5.98. Police Training School. This school is administered by the Ministry of Police, and provides basic training for its recruits to the police force, fire and prison services. 5.99. Tonga contributes to the regional university. The University of the South Pacific (USP) Tonga Centre is administered by the University of the South Pacific from Suva, Fiji. This Extension Centre offers formal (up to Masters level) and non-formal programmes using distance education. It has facilities in Tongatapu, and offices in Outer Islands. USP is providing options for university study by distance education, and opportunities for students desiring a second chance in education, including Year 12 (Form 6) leavers wishing for a second chance at a Year 13 (Form 7) level qualification. There is a significant increase in the numbers of students undertaking Preliminary Certificates at Year 12 (Form 6) level and Foundation Certificates at Year 13 (Form 7) level, and a growing focus on on-site support for these students. Some of these students are sponsored by the Church systems. A range of regional certificates in areas such as early childhood education, disability support, and community nutrition is offered, and reasonable success in these programmes can qualify students for further diploma studies. USP also provides short courses in library skills and computer training, and has a library which is better stocked than most available in Tonga. Post-Secondary Non-Government Institutions 5.100. There are a number of Non-Government providers of post-secondary education that are Church, private and industry based. They offer a wide range of courses from very short blocks to four year programmes. A range of activities, from degree programmes to life skills training for low academic achievers, is available. 5.101. The Roman Catholic education system administers three providers. 5.102. St. Joseph’s Business College provides training for school leavers and in- service training to employees (government and non-government) in the areas of business, typing and secretarial work. In 2001, 108 females were enrolled in full-time programmes. Students are school leavers over the age of 17. 5.103. ‘Ahopanilolo Technical College is a vocational college which focuses on catering and hospitality. It also has a fashion and design programme. Close to 100 trainees are enrolled, with 60% of them female. Students are school leavers over the age of 17. Recently ‘Ahopanilolo has been working with the AusAID funded Tourism Project. 5.104. Montfort Technical Institute was established late in 1996 to provide basic training for Year 10 (Form 4) school leavers in the areas of carpentry, automotive, painting, and welding. In 2001 58 males were enrolled. 5.105. The Free Wesleyan Church education system administers five providers. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 48 5.106. Hango Agricultural College was established in 1969 on ‘Eua. It currently offers a Diploma in Agriculture programme to school leavers for 40 students (45% female). The entry criteria require PSSC, and 90% of students have passed PSSC. A Certificate programme for earlier school leavers is not being offered in 2002, as the College concentrates on revision of the diploma curriculum. Assistance has been sought from Massey University for the development of the college farm and the curriculum, with the aim of seeking external recognition for the Diploma. Some graduates have won places in degree programmes in New Zealand universities, and other graduates are leading agriculturalists in their villages. 5.107. Sia’atoutai Theological College offers study programmes to school leavers and experienced adults (including trained teachers) who wish to graduate with a Diploma or Degree in Divinity, the latter in collaboration with the University of Auckland. The college also offers in-service training to pastoral ministers and members of the church, as well as formal courses such as English and Computer Studies for their trainees. 5.108. The Life Skills Centre was initiated in 2001. This Centre offers a life skills programme with some work experience for early school leavers. All students who began in 2001 now have employment. Facilities only allow for an intake of 18 students, both male and female. 5.109. The Tupou High School Business and Computer Centre was established in 1999 in association with Whitireia Polytechnic. The Centre offers the New Zealand National Certificate in Business Computing and the National Diploma of Business. In 2001 there were 108 students enrolled in these programmes (62% female). 5.110. Mailefihi. In 2002 Mailefihi High School in Vava’u, also in association with Whitireia Polytechnic, has introduced a 2-year programme leading to the New Zealand National Certificate in Automotive Engineering and the New Zealand National Certificate in Hospitality and Catering (levels 1 and 2). Fees are T$500 per year. There was high demand for entry to the programme, but intakes were limited to about 20 students owing to lack of facilities. 5.111. Post-secondary education and training can also be acquired at ‘Atenisi Institute. This institute is a private institution which consists of a secondary division and a Foundation for the Performing Arts, and also offers associate degrees. Its scope of training at post secondary level is mainly in the arts and sciences. Students from ‘Atenisi have been accepted by universities in New Zealand and Australia for further study. Non-Formal Provision of Post-Secondary Education and Training 5.112. In addition to these formal courses, non-formal training opportunities are offered. These are described in the next section. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 49 Training in Industry 5.113. Formal and on job training is also occurring within industry. For example, the Tonga Electric Power Board has used TOPNZ courses (and sent workers to the Manukau Institute of Technology), while workers at the milk processing plant worked towards food processing qualifications offered by the University of Melbourne. Scholarships 5.114. Scholarships to study overseas continue to be an important component of post-secondary education in Tonga. In 2001 a total of 120 scholars were abroad. Some scholarships are allocated by a Scholarships Committee and others by donor agencies. Of the 37 awards granted in 2001, 2 were allocated outside government departments, and none to the private sector. 51% were awarded to females. Although Tonga continues to rely heavily on overseas funding for its scholarship programme, the number of available scholarships and the total budget has decreased sharply. There are 39 scholarships available for allocation by the Scholarships Committee in 2002, 9 supported by Australian aid, 13 by New Zealand Aid, and 17 by the Tonga Government. No Aotearoa scholarships are available for 2003. The number of scholarships supported by Australia in its Open Category has fallen to 8. For the last three years, NZAID has also made available about 30 awards for study by Tongan students at institutions in Tonga under the In-Country Award Scheme (at institutions like the USP Extension Centre, TIST, Hango Agricultural Centre, the Tupou High School Business and Capacity Centre and one or two other institutions). Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 50 Non-formal Education Sector Overview Provision of Non-Formal Education 5.115. Non-formal education and training in Tonga is offered through a range of diverse avenues. Community and continuing education courses and opportunities are offered through several providers. Two providers (the University of the South Pacific and the Community Development and Training Centre) offer more formal continuing education courses, while other providers offer more informal initiatives and opportunities. Continuing Education 5.116. The Continuing Education section of the University of the South Pacific offers non-credit programmes and training activities for the purpose of remedial learning, bridging, vocational training, professional upgrading and reskilling or multi-skilling. It also involves the delivery of appropriate programmes for wider community development, cultural documentation and preservation, or for personal enjoyment. National and regional programmes are offered. 5.117. The Community Development and Training Centre also offers a wide range of vocational programmes to enhance the skills and expertise of the work force in Tonga. It provides access to further study and training for persons successfully completing secondary education as well as for those mature persons who wish to complete their education and training. The types of vocational programmes offered by this centre have been described earlier in this Report. Community-Based Education and Training 5.118. A considerable range of non-formal community-based education and training is offered in Tonga. The Short-term Training Centre (formerly the Civil Service Training Centre), described earlier, has a goal of fostering excellence in skills and competencies development in the civil service, the private sector and Non-Government Organisations. It acts as host for and supports the In-Country Training Programmes, funded by AusAID and NZAID, which offer a range of short-term courses, some of which are non- formal community education courses. The Short Term Training Centre also oversees the New Zealand Short Term Training Assistance Program under which several trainees received training in New Zealand. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 51 Education and Training for Women 5.119. A number of women’s groups have been provided with support through the preparation of a Gender and Development policy prepared by the Women’s Development Centre with support from UNIFEM, UNDP and NZODA. This policy focuses on achieving equity of access, participation and benefits from the development process for all men, women and children. It also ensures that family needs are taken into account in the development process. The intention is that opportunities and support be provided for women to develop their abilities in order to maximise their participation in and benefits from society. The training implications of this policy have been adopted by a number of women’s groups that operate in the non- formal education and training sector. 5.120. The Study Team met with representatives of Women in Development Groups both on Tongatapu and on Ha’apai. These groups generally do not have the capacity to deliver training, but play an important coordination role. Their emphasis is on supporting programmes that build capacity in vocational education and training, and in providing women with skills that help improve the quality of their lives. The representatives also stressed that it is particularly important that education is freely available for women about gender issues, healthy life styles, and health-related matters, such as nutrition and sex education. The point was made that the current health curriculum in schools does not explain the facts about health or sex education, and that sex education issues like contraception or HIV/Aids were not mentioned in the formal school curriculum. The incidence of lifestyle-related diseases in Tonga (diabetes, for instance) was related to diet, and community health education had a role in helping prevent the incidence of such diseases. Women’s groups were in a good position to help facilitate appropriate non-formal community education that dealt with such matters. 5.121. The Women in Development Centre in Ha’apai took a reasonably proactive role in fostering non-formal training programmes, and had adopted the philosophy that since no one else on the island was in a position to provide systematic training, the women would cooperate and organise what they could themselves. The Centre itself on the island was a focal point for this activity. For instance, when the Chairperson had collected enough ingredients, women would meet together to provide training in cooking and baking: women would share special recipes and would teach others in the group. 5.122. Training in making traditional crafts was also organised through this centre. Groups would form to collect and process pandanus leaves, for instance, for weaving, and would fashion them into traditional artifacts. The more knowledgeable would pass their skills on to others in the group. The results of their craft activities could be sold in the shop. There was a desire to run similar cooperative courses on sewing, but equipment and materials were not readily available. Cooperative courses were run on topics such as basic Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 52 hygiene. There was a real need for education of women about hygiene in the home in the Outer Islands. 5.123. Langafonua ‘a Fafine Tonga is a national non-profit non-governmental organisation established in the 1950s by the late Queen Salote Tupou III, who believed that it is necessary to both preserve and to pass on the skills of traditional crafts and culture. It provides basic training for women in improving their quality of life, leadership, and other specific skills. Its thrust is to continue to promote and enhance the total development of all women in Tonga. The movement is nationwide, and all women in Tonga are members as of right. 5.124. Langafonua facilitates non-formal education and training for development of women, and also offers a space where training can occur. It sees one of its important roles as the preservation of Tongan culture, and works to pass on skills to the younger generation. It does this by skills training and by fostering the self-employment of women, and the development of cottage industries, by selling crafts and other products on women’s behalf through its retail outlet, for which a 15% commission is paid. The shop provides a source of revenue generation which helps to fund its operation. 5.125. It undertakes consultations with its constituents at its Annual General Meeting to identify the training needs required, to establish an annual work programme, and then to identify trainers who are able to assist in delivering those needs. It has received support in funding training programmes from UNESCO through the United Nations Development Programme. 5.126. Training is offered in cultural areas such as genealogy, and in traditional art and craft activities that target the both the local market and the tourist industry, such as weaving, tapa-making and basket-making. It works with affiliates and other organisations to carry out literacy and awareness programmes. The types of training programmes offered also include small business skills training, training in product pricing, quality control and market research, and training in skills that potentially generate revenue such as baking, sewing, tie-dyeing, or floral arrangements. 5.127. The organisation sees an important role for the non-formal education and training sector in addressing issues such as the unemployment of women through attitudinal change, by thinking creatively about “employment” and about how time can be used productively, and through fostering skills such as independence, entrepreneurship and self-help. The unique skills that women in Tonga have can be used to make a difference to women’s lives, and can also generate an economic return. 5.128. Other women’s groups in Tonga are fostering non-formal education and training programmes with related objectives. The Catholic Women's League is an organisation set up by the Catholic Church in 1992. It currently provides training and counselling to women and youth in Tonga. It runs an effective series of formal and informal community education and training programmes on issues or topics such as legal literacy, social issues for families, conflict resolution, prevention of family violence, family law, Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 53 women’s health, and human rights, including citizenship rights and land rights. It sees a primary role of its work is in attitudinal change through raising awareness of issues, and in countering a culture of denial that there is a need in Tonga for such education programmes. 5.129. This organisation has found that through involvement in its education and training programmes, people will often subsequently ask for counselling, perhaps on family matters. An Australian Youth Ambassador volunteer is attached in 2002 to the Catholic Women’s League to provide assistance in training of counsellors, as a result of the development of this aspect of the organisation’s work. Non-Formal Programmes Targeted at Youth 5.130. The Catholic Women’s League saw a need for education and training programmes targeted at young men and women “drop-outs” who for one reason or another had left school early. There is a regulatory barrier in Tonga, for instance, that prevents young women who have had children out of wedlock from returning to school for further education. These young women need to have an opportunity to return to education and training. Until the regulatory barrier is removed, the first opportunities for further education for these people may need to be provided through the non-formal education and training offered by community Non-Governmental Organisations. 5.131. The Tonga National Youth Congress offers a range of non-formal and community programmes targeted towards “at risk” young people. It provides life skills programmes, AIDS and Population Education Awareness programmes, and programmes such as Small Business Schemes. The Congress works mainly with its members, who include village youth groups, church youth groups, and NGOs. The Ministry of Education funds the organisation T$10,000 each year, and these funds are distributed to employ youth officers who work in each Outer Islands group throughout the kingdom. 5.132. All Outer Islands have youth “drop-in” centres, which provide skills training. One programme sponsored by the Youth Congress is a Commonwealth Youth Programme (a Certificate Programme). The purpose of the training is to give young people who have “dropped out” of school an opportunity to reach the qualifying standard for entry to other more formal post-secondary programmes, such as programmes offered through the University of the South Pacific. The course is offered all over the kingdom and includes skill development in fields such as computer training. The targe t groups are year 10 and 11 (Form 4 and 5) “drop-outs” who have not yet reached the qualifying standard to enrol in formal courses such as that run by the distance education computer centre on Tongatapu, and who need a “bridging” course to provide them wit h upskilling. There is a network of more than 60 Peace Corps volunteers from the USA working in Tonga, and many of them are working in association with the Tonga National Youth Congress as tutors in these “drop-in” centres. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 54 5.133. Another programme fostered and supported by the Youth Congress is Future Farmers of the Pacific. This programme helps young men who have no job to develop their planting and agricultural skills. It is managed by a National Committee for Young Farmers. The Committee is looking for marketing opportunities in order to develop a source of revenue for those involved. Initiatives are being also considered to develop a similar programme that targets young women and focuses on developing craft skills. 5.134. A Life Skills Programme is being sponsored by the National Youth Congress. This is a regional programme that involves 6 countries through the Pacific. It is organised, coordinated and funded by UNICEF, and is supported by NZAID. It targets young people in and out of school. The programme, Pacific Stars Life Skills Training, consists of 12 well- developed modules and includes components on communication skills, negotiation skills and leadership skills. The Life Skills coordinator has run a “Training the Trainers” course for 25 young people, and these people are now based all over the kingdom. When they have completed their initial training course, these people have to go out into the community and into schools to find people who are interested in being trained. So far they have completed 15 training sessions, 6 on Tongatapu, and 9 in the Outer Islands. 12 courses targeted out-of-school youth and 3 focused on school students. The evaluations to date suggest these programmes have been helpful, as the courses provide stepping stones to further education and training. 5.135. A key issue for the National Youth Congress is the need for it to work together with the Ministry of Education to receive recognition of the courses it offers, in order to improve articulation between those courses offered, other further formal post-secondary education and training, and other youth programmes offered in schools. 5.136. The University of the Nations is an international interdenominational training campus for Youth With A Mission. It has a Discipleship Training School for Christian Studies and Youth Leadership. It also offers ad-hoc life skills training programmes, including carpentry and community development. Other Non-Formal Education Programmes 5.137. Non-formal education and training in Tonga is not restricted to these initiatives that have been described above. Organisations like the Tonga Development Bank, UNESCO, and the WHO also offer non-formal education programmes that develop skills to link with the needs of the labour force or that provide people with access to lifelong learning. Other Government Ministries such as the Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Works are also offering outreach programmes that involve members of the public in awareness-raising or rural development programmes. There is a range of activity in the sector. What is lacking is a strategy or framework for effective communication, coordination and articulation with programmes in the formal education sector, so that individuals can map out pathways to achieve their objectives. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 55 6. Project Description Methodology 6.1. Introduction: The Tonga Education Sector Study (TESS) Team met initially in the offices of NZAID in Wellington New Zealand from September 10 to14, 2002 to plan the study and receive briefings from NZAID officers. At this meeting a questionnaire to be distributed to Tongan students in New Zealand and to interested parties in Tonga was developed. A meeting schedule for the first Tonga visit also resulted from this meeting. NZAID officers provided relevant documents to the team, and others were obtained from a variety of sources. Criteria for success of the Study were developed. 6.2. The Study Team travelled to Tonga for an initial visit on October 2, 2002 and conducted extensive interviews and meetings with stakeholders in Tonga over a sixteen day period. Preliminary analysis of data collected during the meetings/interviews was undertaken in preparation for a presentation to the Study Reference Group immediately prior to the team’s departure from Tonga on October 19. A Preliminary Draft Report and a condensed Discussion Paper and accompanying Response Sheet were prepared during the period October 20 to November 15. These were circulated to stakeholders for feedback in the latter half of November in preparation for the second visit to Tonga in December. 6.3. A second visit by the Study Team to Nuku’alofa, Tonga, occurred from December 4 to 14, 2002 with the aim of following up on the options raised in the Discussion Paper and the Preliminary Draft Report. The Study Team reported to the Tonga Reference Group and met with other key stakeholders to clarify some issues and collect further information. The Study Team drafted a series of recommendations following responses to the options presented in the Discussion Paper. These were presented to groups of interested stakeho lders towards the end of the visit. 6.4. A Draft Final Report and Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003- 2008) were prepared in January 2003, and transmitted to Tonga early in February. Responses to these draft documents were incorporated into the final versions at a Study Team meeting in Wellington from February 26 to February 28, 2003. The final documents (this Final Report and the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003–2013) were transmitted to Tonga in March, 2003. 6.5. Document Review: A range of documents relevant to the Study was provided to the team by NZAID personnel, and Study Team members obtained documents from a variety of other sources. These documents provided useful background data on population trends and other indicators for education delivery in Tonga. Other reports detailed findings from previous education projects in Tonga. On arrival in Tonga, the Study Team was able to gather numerous documents on curriculum, public sector reform and education delivery. All documents were reviewed against previously Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 56 determined criteria for relevance and recency. The document reviews allowed the Study Team to prepare an initial list of issues/foci for follow-up in the interviews and focus groups. 6.6. SWOT Analysis: Approximately ten days into the initial in-country visit the Study Team conducted a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis based on initial findings from the interviews, focus groups and the small number of the questionnaires returned at the time. The analysis allowed the Study Team to refine the previously identified issues and foci and identify gaps or weaknesses in the data gathered up to that time. The analysis also provided new targets for data collection, and the remaining scheduled visits were reallocated to allow for a range of new interviews. Strengths of the Tonga education system were recognised and recorded, and are reported in the Preliminary Draft Report. The timing of the Study is also recognised as presenting a critical opportunity for decisive action to improve the delivery of education. Weaknesses identified were addressed in the analysis accompanying the “Issues” section of the Preliminary Draft Report. Lists of Opportunities and Threats to the Study were devised (these are documented in the Preliminary Draft Report). This analysis informed the findings in this Final Report and underpinned the strategies and activities set out in the Draft Strategic Plan for Education for Tonga (2003-2013). 6.7. Interviews in Tongan and English: Numerous interviews were conducted with educators and other individuals in associated fields impacted by the Study. Most were conducted in English. However, where necessary, the Study Team’s Tonga member provided assistance in translating more difficult concepts into Tongan. The majority of the interviews were conducted at the worksite of the interviewee and with at least two team members present. This assisted the specificity of questions regarding the particular circumstances of the worksite and allowed a check to be made against the record taken by both Study Team members. A tight schedule required most interviews to be restricted to approximately one hour, which, when an inspection of the worksite was included, proved to be only adequate to canvass the majority of opinions and meant that much fruitful discussion had to be curtailed. Interviews were conducted in all locations visited by the Study Team, including Eua, Vava’u and Ha’apai as well as on Tongatapu. People who were interviewed are chronicled in the attached Appendix 3 – People Consulted. 6.8. Questionnaires in Tongan and English: A questionnaire was developed in an attempt to gain an indication of community perceptions about the strengths and weaknesses of the Tonga education system from a wider perspective than could be obtained in the time allowed for the structured interviews and focus group sessions. A number of the questionnaires and attached briefing paper were distributed to members of the Tongan student community in New Zealand. Questionnaires, als o with the attached briefing paper, were distributed with letters requesting interviews with particular groups to provide an advance indication of the likely focus of the interview. The questionnaire was translated into Tongan to assist in gaining as wide a cross section of views as possible. Questionnaires were despatched to all districts of the country in an attempt to ensure the views of as wide as possible a group were Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 57 canvassed. By the conclusion of the Study Team’s initial visit to Tonga some 360 questionnaires had been collected from within the country, about one third completed in English and two thirds in Tongan. Copies of the questionnaire in English and Tongan are included as Appendix 7. 6.9. Focus Group meetings: Meetings with industry groups and others, particularly from the non-formal education sector, were organised at the various locations to be visited by the Study Team. A structured series of questions elaborating the questions posed in the questionnaire was used to assist in gathering feedback from the groups. The Focus Groups provided a formal setting in which views and opinions could be aired and assisted people to canvass perceptions, opinions and examples of strengths or weaknesses of education delivery. Each group was facilitated by at least two team members to ensure as accurate a record of discussion as possible was obtained. Focus Groups were convened at most of the locations visited by the Study Team, and the details are provided in Appendix 3 – People Consulted. 6.10. First Consultations : Prior to departure for the first visit to Tonga the team met for preparation and literature review in Wellington and were briefed by NZAID personnel. A phone conference with the Director of the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment and a meeting with the MSC for the NZAID In-Country Training programme were undertaken during the time in Wellington. Further consultation with New Zealand consultants engaged in work within the education system in Tonga has been undertaken subsequently. 6.11. In Tonga, the Study Team consulted widely with stakeholders, holding face to face interviews involving approximately 200 people. As well, 9 Focus Group meetings were held, involving key industry and stakeholder groups on Tongatapu and in the outer islands. The Study Team met on four occasions with the Tongan Reference Group (TRG) comprising representatives from a number of government and non-government organisations, including the following: • The Ministry of Education; • Directors or representatives from church education systems for Anglican, Free Wesleyan, Seventh Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Free Church of Tonga and the Bahai Faith; • The Central Planning Department; • NGO representative; • Ministry of Labour and Commerce; and • ‘Atenisi Institute. 6.12. Discussion Paper: A short discussion paper to prompt feedback from interested stakeholders in Tonga was prepared by the Study Team on their return from the first in-country visit. The Discussion Paper and Response Sheet, 24 pages in length, provided an abbreviated description, ana lysis and range of options for each of the major issues identified during the first visit. It was widely circulated in Tonga during November to prepare for the second visit of the Study Team in December. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 58 6.13. A range of options for change in twelve critical aspects of the education system in Tonga was presented in the Discussion Paper, of which approximately 500 copies were circulated throughout the country. A Response Sheet on which responders could indicate their preferred option was included with the Discussion Paper. A note accompanying the Discussion Paper suggested that interested groups could use the options presented as the basis for discussion and a response recorded which represented a group view. Alternatively, Response Sheets could be photocopied and returned to represent individual views. 6.14. Options presented to stakeholders on the twelve critical aspects of education ranged, in general, across a spectrum from more radical change to essentially status quo. In all, 62 responses were received, which may represent upwards of 200 individuals. The responses favouring more radical change across all areas of education comprised over 60% of the total. For particular aspects, such as the HRD priorities for Tonga, an overwhelming 83% favoured the more radical option, while for Teacher Education, only 48% were in favour of the more radical option. The Discussion Paper, Response Sheet and a Summary of Responses are provided at Appendix 6. 6.15. Preliminary Draft Report: The issues raised in the Discussion Paper circulated widely in Tonga, together with more detailed background material, were included in the Preliminary Draft Report designed for restricted circulation to NZAID and the Government of Tonga and submitted early in November 2002. 6.16. Second Consultations: During the Study Team’s second visit to Tonga in December 2002 a further round of consultations was conducted with groups of stakeholders, including the Minister of Education, the Director General of Education, the Tonga Reference Group and other interested groups in public forums. A summary of the Responses to the Discussion Paper was collated and presented to each group, together with the preliminary recommendations of the Study Team. Ensuing discussions were fruitful in gauging likely response to the recommendations. 6.17. Final Report: A Draft Final Report, including a series of recommendations for change, was prepared during January 2003 and transmitted to Tonga and NZAID in early February 2003. Responses to the draft report were incorporated into a Final Report submitted in March 2003. 6.18. Strategic Plan for Education: During January 2003 a Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013) incorporating the recommendations from the Final Report was prepared. The draft contains strategies, timeframes, costing, change and implementation schedules, and sequences of activities for achieving the recommended changes. The preliminary draft Strategic Plan was transmitted to Tonga and NZAID for comment in early February. Responses to the preliminary draft were incorporated into a revised Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013) late February/early March. The final version was submitted in March 2003. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 59 Perceptions of the Tonga Education System 6.19. This section reports on the perceptions of the Tonga education system provided by over 300 people who responded to the questionnaires distributed in Tonga during September 2002. 6.20. A copy of the questionnaire (in both English and Tongan) is attached as Appendix 7. 6.21. The perceptions reported here are a summary of the recurring comments received to questions 6-11 which focused on respondents’ perceptions of the education system as a whole. 6.22. The following graph illustrates the responses to Question 6 which asked: “How well do you believe the education system in Tonga serves the interests of the people? (Please tick one of the following): Very Well; Well; Reasonably; Poorly; Very Poorly.” Responses indicate that a high proportion of the respondents felt the education system in Tonga serves the interests if its people Well or Reasonably. Perceptions of the Education System (Number = 360) 140 120 100 Very well 80 Well Reasonably 60 Poorly 40 Very poorly 20 0 6.23. Questions 7-11 asked about perceived strengths, weaknesses, priorities and the improvements needed to stimulate employment opportunities. Responses have been summarised in 5 categories according to how the respondent identified him or herself. Categories are: (1) Parents; (2) Administrators; (3) Teachers; (4) Interested Citizens (including Employers); (5) Students studying overseas. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 60 6.24. Parents saw the strengths of the system as: teachers and parents working together to encourage children to learn; requiring all to go to school; providing well for those good academically; the range of choices available; well qualified teachers. Perceived weaknesses were: lack of equipment and maintenance; the examination focus; lack of practical subjects; a need to have well qualified, motivated teachers in all schools and to retain good teachers in Tonga; better pastoral care for students. The improvements suggested focused on: improving teaching standards; improving resources; a review of the syllabus; an increase in vocational and technical education options; more work skills and preparation for work. Parents held different views about the language of instruction, some preferring more Tongan language and others increased use of English language in schools. 6.25. Administrators saw the strengths of the system as: providing access for all children to compulsory basic education; high literacy levels; people valuing education highly; a strongly academic focus; students from all backgrounds have access to the same subjects; parent support; respecting culture and values. Perceived weaknesses were: the loss of skilled educators to private sector and overseas organisations; lack of in-service training for teachers that is accessible to all school systems; low levels of funding, resourcing and poor facilities; the examination orientation of the system and its effects on students’ self esteem; limited options for less academic students; poor preparation for the work place; levels of scaling of examination results; school fees; slow response to changing needs. The improvements suggested focused on: greater concern for achieving high levels of basic literacy and numeracy; improving teaching standards and resources; increased salaries and improved systems for promotion within education; curriculum revision to update and provide further vocational and technical education; developing effective quality management systems; a stronger focus on the less academic students and greater technical/vocational work related education opportunities; greater focus on English language; a government loan system to assist students pay for education. 6.26. Teachers saw the strengths of the system as; providing access for all children to compulsory basic education; high literacy levels; people valuing education highly; a strongly academic focus; committed, hard working teachers with good qualifications; effective partnership between parents and teachers; the disciplining of students. Perceived weaknesses were: all teachers not adequately qualified; lack of teacher in-service training; lack of teacher and student resources to support learning; academic and examination orientation of the system, including the assessment of teachers according to student results; discrimination between church and government schools; lack of support and options for disabled; poor administration systems and communication in education. Teachers held different views about the language of instruction, some preferring more Tongan language and others increased use of English language in schools. The improvements suggested focused on: increased staff development opportunities for teachers; improved salary structures for teachers; development of vocational and technical education at all levels; increased Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 61 resources and improved facilities for education; distribution of existing resources and qualified staff more evenly within the whole education provision; improved partnership among education systems especially in developing technical/vocational subject options; effective leadership training in education; better communication between education administrators and teachers; decentralisation of control; closer relationships between school and community; provision pf special education; the chance of further study for all. 6.27. Interested Citizens saw the strengths of the system as: providing a strong academic programme and a basic education for all with good regional coverage; promoting Tongan culture; providing discipline and promoting respect; the school radio programme. Perceived weaknesses were in: the management, planning, setting priorities and communication within education; provision of adequate supply of competent, trained teachers; limited in-service training and support for teachers; lack of teaching resources; the overly academic programme and need for technical skills to be taught; the provision of enough technical education and training for people in outer islands and villages. The improvements suggested focused on: need for curriculum review to develop a curriculum to meet Tonga’s current needs; increased resources; more effective selection of staff for key positions; improvements in teacher supply and competence; increased scholarships for further study; wider choices available for further education; support for job search for school leavers; government funding for all schools; education to meet industry needs. 6.28. For Students Studying Overseas a questionnaire was developed and distributed to students studying in New Zealand to gain their perceptions on how well the Tonga education system had prepared them for study overseas. Over 100 questionnaires were distributed in the top half of the North Island but the response was disappointing, with only 12 questionnaires returned. Responses show that the majority of students felt that the quality of the education they received in Tonga was very good and that they were well prepared in Tonga for study in New Zealand. The strengths of their education in Tonga were: receiving a good grounding in the basics; the use of English language in schools; strong discipline. Perceived weaknesses of their education in Tonga were: not a strong enough emphasis on English language in some schools; lack of equipment and resources; inadequate preparation for independent learning; limited vocational courses and options. The improvements they suggested were: to employ more teachers with degree level qualifications; provide more vocational subject choices; provide drug and alcohol and life skills education; enforce the use of English language in schools; better resources and facilities especially in technology subjects; the use of a greater range of assessment tools. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 62 7. Criteria for Making Decisions about Priorities 7.1. The Study Team has conducted an environmental scan of education delivery in Tonga, and has analysed data from various sources. This process has led the team to consider a number of issues and options to address areas that may pose risks to education outcomes in Tonga. 7.2. A range of criteria has been developed in order to help evaluate and prioritise the range of options that need to be implemented over the next few years. These criteria are outlined below. The Study Team believes that these criteria will assist decision-making by the Tonga Government and the Ministry of Education itself, and will also be useful in negotiations for supporting aid from donors. 7.3. The overall aim of improving education outcomes in Tonga is paramount. These criteria provide tools that will assist in the development of Tonga’s Strategic Plan for Education which is geared to delivering an outcome of improved education achievement. Immediacy of Impact on Achievement Will the proposal affect students’ learning outcomes immediately or indirectly? 7.4. The quality of the interaction between teacher and students has the most significant and immediate impact upon students’ learning. Key dimensions in this interaction are the quality of teaching, the nature of the curriculum and the assessment of student achievement, and the environment and resources available to support learning. The direct involvement of well-informed parents as first teachers when children are very young is important and immediate. Other factors such as home and school relationships, and the quality of information given to parents, are also important but less immediate. Sustainability and Contribution to Capacity Building in the Education Sector Is the proposal capable of building capacity in the short and long term? 7.5. People are the basis of any sustainable improvement. Any initiatives proposed need to survive beyond the development and support stage. In the long term it is not acceptable to rely on “experts” from outside Tonga, although partnerships with people from outside the country have value in providing objective advice and/or support. Since how the proposal is implemented will often determine the extent of local capacity building, a strong link between policy development and its implementation is essential. An assessment of past and current education delivery practices, and their strengths and weaknesses – what has worked well and what has not – has also been a useful indicator when considering this criterion. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 63 Applicability to both Tongatapu and Outer Islands Will the proposal improve education achievement for the whole kingdom? 7.6. Population differences, physical separation, isolation and environmental factors make for particular differences in education delivery (e.g. in respect of teacher supply, access and oversight) between Tongatapu and the Outer Islands. The options proposed are intended to recognise these differences and apply equally to both Tongatapu and the Outer Islands. Strategic Alignment How does the proposal fit with Government’s social and economic goals? 7.7. The Government of Tonga has developed a Strategic Development Plan 7 2001-2004 (SDP7), released in July 2001. Its key themes are restructuring for higher sustainable economic growth, ensuring financial stability and investing in people. The Tonga Ministry of Education has also developed a draft Strategic Education Plan. While all education initiatives can be said to contribute in some way to social and economic needs of people, some have a more direct and immediate impact than others. Education and training also has an international application in that students develop skills and abilities that enable them to participate in any society. Some education and training has a national focus that is very specific to local cultural and economic needs. The Study Team has given special consideration to issues and options that appear to contribute particularly to social or economic growth in Tonga, and that are well aligned with the strategic directions outlined in the Government’s planning documents. Viability and Efficiency Is there a sufficiently constant and developed funding and human resource base to enable progress to be made? 7.8. The extent to which the initiative proposed has the resource base (funding or human) to support the development, particularly in respect of its timing in relation to other initiatives, is an important factor. Mana ging limited resources is also a fact of life for many Governments. Where proposals would compete for resources against each other or against existing programmes, it is important, in making any trade-offs, to consider which proposals will have the greatest likelihood of educational return on financial investment. Potential Benefits versus Transaction Costs Will the benefits of the proposal be outweighed by the costs of administering them? 7.9. Any proposal needs to be subjected to a cost benefit analysis before its introduction so that the financial and possible social costs can be weighed against any anticipated benefits. More subtle costs such as lost opportunity Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 64 and the costs of compliance need consideration too. For example, if an initiative relies on developments undertaken by individual schools, the level of transaction costs (such as negotiation and accountability) will increase. Questions need to be asked about anticipated returns and whether these offset the associated level of transaction costs. Decisions need to be made about any trade-offs. Appeal to Potential Donor Agencies Would the proposal be supported by international aid? 7.10. To achieve the education goals desired by Tonga, there will be a continued reliance on international aid programmes such as those provided by the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) and AusAID, and other international aid donors such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, and the European Union. Proposals have therefore been examined as to the ir likelihood of support from international aid agencies. Research findings have been used, where available, in assessing proposals in order to ensure international credibility. The Study Team has noted that international aid funding is more likely to be targeted at projects that also meet the criteria of capacity building and sustainability. Synergies Should the proposal get additional weighting because it improves the likelihood of success of other proposals? 7.11. The education and funding resources available to effect education improvement and change are not large. Attempting to do too much at once may therefore risk failure. Consideration has been given to whether or not new proposals create synergies that improve the likelihood of success of existing developments or of related proposals. In some instances parallel proposals may be co-requisites or interdependent if the outcome of one influences the chances of success of another. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 65 8. Directions Introduction 8.1 Four fundamental thrusts have been identified for emphasis in this Final Report. These directions have been incorporated in to the design of the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013). These four key thrusts are: • Universal Basic Education • Improving Learning in Schools • Human Resources Development • Management and Control of Education 8.2 The other issue that is discussed in the final section of this chapter is: • Cross-cutting Issues Universal Basic Education Rationale 8.3. The Study Team strongly supports an overarching principle that universal basic education is the right of all students in Tonga. In defining universal basic education the Study Team has looked elsewhere in the Pacific and other developing countries, and has concluded that most countries have moved, or are moving, to define this provision to include at least the first eight years of schooling. Mechanisms to achieve such provision vary, including taking responsibility for elementary or pre-school education and/or extending Primary education to the end of Year 8. The Study Team believes that the Ministry of Education has endorsed the extension of Primary education to the end of Year 8 and has begun to implement this principle. 8.4. Increasingly, access to structured pre-schooling is being recognised as leading to increased achievement levels of children in primary schools when compared with those who do not have access to such provision. Additionally, the promotion of “Parents as First Teachers” in the very early years is recognised as contributing positively to children’s subsequent progress in formal schooling. 8.5. While there are people and private organisations in Tonga that cater for the needs of students with physical and intellectual disabilities, more should be done for them if they are to be adequately catered for. This area must be addressed if the education provision is to be “universal”. 8.6. To achieve universal basic education in Tonga, the Study Team believes that the following Principles must apply. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 66 8.7. Principle 1: The government should assume responsibility for providing compulsory basic education for students to Year 8 or Form 2 (eight years of education) to conform with accepted international practice. 8.8. The MOE currently provides over 90% of Primary education with the remainder provided by Church-run systems. However, only 27% of students can be catered for in Year 7 (Form 1) in government run secondary schools. Selection to secondary schools is based on formal examination results determined through the Secondary Entrance Examination (SEE) conducted for all students at Year 6 (Class 6). 8.9. One consequence of the restricted number of places in the government secondary system is that approximately 1,000 students repeat Year 6 (Class 6) each year in Primary schools in the hope that they will gain sufficient marks to enter a government secondary school. Over fifty teachers are thus employed in catering for these repeating students, an inappropriate use of scarce resources. Another consequence is a proliferation of after-hours classes for Year 6 (Class 6) students to “cram” for the SEE. The effect of repeaters on overall enrolments is obvious in Figure 1. Figure 1: School enrolments in Tonga by Year level in 2001 (and exam placement) EXAMS SEE TSC PSSC BURSARY 3600 3400 3200 3000 2800 2600 2400 2200 Repeaters 2000 1800 Church Schools 1600 Gov't Schools 1400 1200 1000 800 600 Total Enrolments (2001) 400 200 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 4 Class 3 Form Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 67 8.10. Principle 2: Access to universal basic education should be provided on an equitable basis. 8.11. The 73% of students not gaining entry to government secondary schools are catered for by the Church-run education systems, which, in general, charge higher fees and employ teachers who are less well paid and less well qualified academically. While the Study Team acknowledges that teachers in Tonga have a number of strengths, such as faka’apa’apa (respect), tauhivaha’a (caring), mamahi’ime’a (responsibility), and lototo (humility), the students are not well served if teachers are not professionally well qualified. These schools are not perceived to be providing an equivalent education to that available in government run schools. The MOE provides a grant of $100 per student to assist with the running costs of qualifying non-government schools. 8.12. There is a good deal of evidence, including the enrolment figures for Tonga High School Year 7 (Form 1), suggesting that girls are outperforming boys in the SEE. In addition, a majority of the repeaters (over 60%) in Year 6 (Class 6) are boys. There is a strong possibility that placement of the SEE at Year 6 (Class 6) is disadvantaging boys because they are less mature at this age than girls. The cultural upbringing of boys may also make them more vulnerable to outside influences and less inclined to concentrate on their studies at this stage in their lives. The use of terms such as “Repeater” and “Dropout” also unfairly label students and create self-fulfilling prophecies that may affect self-esteem. 8.13. Principle 3: The formal education system should recognise, and build upon, the important role parents play in the education of their children. 8.14. There is some evidence that parents in Tonga are not as aware as they could be of the important role they play in preparing their children to enter the formal school system. While recognising the important role of the Parent Teachers Associations (PTA), there exists potential to further support parents and families in this important task. 8.15. Principle 4: A child’s development can be fostered by positive experiences in the early years and such experiences, based on a developmentally appropriate curriculum, provide an excellent foundation for formal schooling. 8.16. There is a need for formal recognition of the importance of the role of the early childhood education sector in child development. The growth and development of this sector and support for parents in their roles needs to be acknowledged as a priority. 8.17. A factor that may have slowed the development of pre-school education in Tonga is the availability of trained teachers. Most teachers are untrained Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 68 and work on a voluntary basis and thus find it difficult to afford the courses offered by USP and other providers. 8.18. Principle 5: Access to education should be provided to enable all people with disabilities to develop to their full potential. 8.19. Students with physical and intellectual disabilities should be assisted to take their place in the formal education sector. While education of disabled children was previously catered for in Tonga by the extended family, there now exists a need to provide more effective support for these people who are of school age. Recommendations 8.20. It is clear from the foregoing that the question of accessibility to Universal Basic Education for all students in Tonga needs to be addressed in accordance with the Principles stated above. Recommendation 1 8.21. The Government of Tonga should support the national system of education in which the Ministry of Education undertakes responsibility for providing for the basic education of all students to the end of Year 8 (Form 2) by: • adopting appropriate structures, regulations and policies to ensure accessibility to basic education for all children in Tonga from Year 1 (Class 1) to Year 8 (Form 2) in primary schools; and • fostering close partnerships between the Government and non- Government education providers. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 1 8.22. A number of structural, cost and social implications will result from adoption of this recommendation and these will need to be addressed sensitively during implementation. 8.23. In attempting to provide access to primary education to the end of Year 8 (Form 2) for all children in Tonga the government has three main options – (i) preserve the status quo, relying on the goodwill of the Church providers, (ii) provide an increased subsidy for the Church providers, and (iii) provide places for all students in government schools. The status quo [Option (i)] is unsustainable on grounds of equity, and also relies heavily on the continued good will and involvement of the Church providers, which may not continue. Most Church providers will continue to labour under severe financial pressure as they attempt to offer educational services equivalent to those provided by the Ministry of Education. 8.24. Providing government places for all students [Option (iii)] is unsustainable in the short term on the grounds of cost – it is estimated that funding the increase in salaries alone would require approximately $5 million, and an additional large amount would be required for providing classrooms. In the Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 69 longer term the Government of Tonga may wish to move to support this option, but the large financial outlay required precludes its immediate adoption. 8.25. The option of providing increased assistance to the Non-Government (Church) providers [Option (ii)], as well as negotiated arrangements between the various non-Government providers and the MOE could be considered. The provision of additional assistance to support salaries of teachers in Non-Government schools at Year 7 & 8 levels (Forms 1 & 2) may need to be conditional upon a successful outcome to negotiation of issues such as the observance of requirements that education at this level be free, compulsory and secular. Any move to full Government provision of support for education at this level will need to be gradual and carefully considered. 8.26. Provision of Years 7 and 8 (Forms 1 & 2) in selected primary schools on an equitable geographic basis might require some form of zoning as a means of selecting students for particular schools or in localities where more than one school already serves the student population. 8.27. Research from around the world suggests that “retention” (repeating) mostly does not provide a lasting benefit to children who are forced or choose (through parental pressure) to repeat a class. Academic gains from repeating are short term and tend to disappear after two to three years. Indeed, there appear to be significant increases in behaviour problems for young adolescents forced to repeat. 8.28. Social promotion may be criticised on the basis that children who are promoted when they have not gained the prior learning necessary for progression fall further and further behind as they move through the schooling system. It would seem, however, that social promotion is an accepted fact in most parts of the education system in Tonga where few children repeat year levels, with the exception of Year 6 (Class 6). 8.29. The social desirability of removing repeaters from Year 6 (Class 6) following the introduction of social progression to Year 8 (Form 2) under the reforms would have to be matched by measures to ensure that repeating is not shifted to Year 8 (Form 2). 8.30. Research evidence suggests that neither social promotion nor retention is a desirable or effective response for children who are not performing. A variety of other interventions have been shown to be much more effective in catering for the needs of these children. Increased parent involvement in the child’s education, effective early reading support programmes, improved teacher training in assessing individual’s needs and improved capacity of teachers to work with mixed ability classroom groupings are all recognised as effective measures for supporting children with learning difficulties. The focus later in this report on assessing literacy and numeracy in early primary school to assist remediation accords with this evidence. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 70 8.31. The additional cost to the Government of providing education to all students in Tonga to Years 7 and 8 (Forms 1 & 2) is estimated to be approximately T$2.0 million for salaries for teachers of the more than 3400 students presently not enrolled in Government schools in Years 7 and 8 (Forms 1 & 2). Some of the 120 additional classrooms to accommodate these students will be provided if repeaters at Year 6 (Class 6) are phased out. Operating costs would be additional to these figures. 8.32. Some of the additional funding required for providing universal basic education to Year 8 (Form 2) could come from an increase in fees for government secondary schools, which would cater only for Years 9 to 13 (Forms 3 to 7). Fees could increase to a level at least equivalent to the fees for non-government schools. Full cost recovery for all post-primary education could be a future option. 8.33. It is envisaged that a reform involving total government provision of primary education to encompass Years 7 and 8 (Forms 1 & 2) will need to be a planned, gradual and phased process. Managing the complex interplay of perceptions about schools, religious affiliation and parental preferences for the courses their children should study will require a comprehensive public information campaign to accompany the proposed reforms. 8.34. It will also be necessary to manage carefully the changes envisaged for Tonga Side School as strong perceptions exist about its effectiveness. A gradual increase in fees for this school is required so that over, say, five years, full cost recovery is attained and funds saved can be directed elsewhere. Again, a careful explanation of the necessity for the reforms will be required. Recommendation 2 8.35. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should continue to support pre-school education by: • establishing a system of registration of pre-school providers; • adopting curriculum guidelines and appropriate materials for early childhood education; • making provision for training of pre-school teachers at the Tonga Institute of Education and supporting access to providers of early childhood teacher training, including the University of the South Pacific; • establishing a Parents as First Teachers advisory service to support and encourage communities that wish to provide early childhood education; and • examining the long term implications of subsidising early childhood education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 71 Implications of Implementing Recommendation 2 8.36. Registration of pre-school providers would afford some protection for children’s physical and intellectual well-being and therefore should be investigated by MOE. Registration could imply some responsibility for standards in pre-schools and MOE would need to work through the implications of such a stance. In the medium to longer term MOE will probably need to take such responsibility in the interests of children’s learning. 8.37. Recognising that a child’s development can be fostered by positive experiences in the early years and that positive early learning experiences, based on a developmentally appropriate curriculum, provide an excellent foundation for formal schooling suggests that MOE should support pre- school education. For the near term, such support could involve assistance with development/endorsement of an agreed curriculum and supporting documents, provision of information on courses available for pre-school teacher training in the region, and investigation of the viability of conducting pre-school teacher training at TIOE. 8.38. Support such as that outlined above could best be provided by redesignation of a primary adviser as Pre-school Adviser within MOE, and assisting that adviser to obtain training, if required, in the region. The adviser, once trained, would devise a workplan to foster a Parents as First Teachers programme in Tonga. Minimal cost to MOE would result from such redesignation and, in addition, training may be available through NGOs in the region. 8.39. Given the positive potential of pre-school experience for enhancing school learning, MOE should investigate the possibility of providing some form of subsidy for registered pre-schools in the longer term. Recommendation 3 8.40. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should support the special needs of children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities by: • recognising that children and adults with physical and intellectual difficulties need to have access to appropriate educational opportunities; • appointing a specialist adviser(s), with a designated special education role, to initially determine the extent of needs and devise strategies; • making available appropriate learning materials and equipment for special education; • making provision for training of special education teachers at the Tonga Institute of Education and supporting access to special education offerings by other providers, including the University of the South Pacific; and Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 72 • providing teachers of children with special needs with professional development opportunities and targeted in-service training to assist them to help each child with special needs. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 3 8.41. The first step in improving the opportunities for students with physical or intellectual difficulties is to recognise their rights to equality of opportunity in education. Flowing from such recognition are certain obligations which MOE will then be required to meet. 8.42. A clear message that the claims of students with disabilities have been recognised would be provided by MOE redesignating an existing primary adviser position as Special Education Adviser, appointing an interested officer to the position and providing training for that officer. Such training is likely to be available through regional NGOs. 8.43. The Special Education Adviser would devise a workplan that included a thorough survey of the needs of students with disabilities, the assistance available through NGOs and other regional bodies, the potential for incorporating some Special Education training into the course offerings at TIOE and provision of assistance for the development of individually targeted curricula by teachers. 8.44. The assistance outlined above for Special Education could be achieved within existing budgets as it is unlikely to involve more than assistance with training costs. At a later stage some extra costs may be involved through provision of specifically targeted learning materials. Improving Learning in Schools Rationale 8.45. Improving learning in schools will assist in better matching the outcomes of education with the requirements of Tongan society and should lead to individuals better equipped to participate in their society and in the wider world. Well-rounded individuals with skills that complement their interests and abilities are more likely to find employment and integrate well into their society. 8.46. The keys to improving learning in schools lie in the areas of curriculum and assessment, literacy and numeracy and the abilities of the teachers charged with managing students’ learning. Recognition of and adherence to the fundamental principles outlined below must underpin any strategies concerned with improving learning in schools in Tonga. 8.47. Principle 1: The curriculum and assessment systems should value equally the full range of student abilities and should address the needs of society for the range of employment opportunities. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 73 8.48. The current curriculum and assessment system should provide more scope for students to demonstrate or practise their creative, artistic, physical and practical abilities. There is also a need to improve the perception of these skills and abilities in the wider Tongan society. 8.49. Principle 2: Basic literacy and numeracy skills are fundamental to success in education and are the right of all children. 8.50. Effective learning is predicated on good literacy and numeracy skills. There is growing evidence that good levels of literacy in students’ first language improves their learning of all subjects taught later in a second language. High priority should be given to early learning in Tongan Language and the stage at which there is a switch to learning in English should be investigated. 8.51. Principle 3: Support and resources are required to allow teachers to diagnose and address learning difficulties experienced by students at an early age. 8.52. There is a need to improve basic literacy and numeracy levels throughout the schooling system. More resources need to be directed at diagnosing and addressing the literacy and numeracy difficulties experienced by students in the early years of primary schooling. 8.53. Principle 4: Teacher education is a key factor in improving learning and TIOE needs to have quality staff and staffing stability to function effectively. TIOE must be granted the status and resources necessary to ensure that quality teaching graduates are produced. 8.54. Teacher education is the key to long term improvement of learning in schools. However, there is evidence that this area of the education system does not attract sufficient quality staff and resources. There exists a need to continue to improve the resources devoted to teacher education and ensure greater stability of staffing at TIOE. 8.55. Principle 5: Key MOE officers must be identified, trained and be retained for specialisation in a small number of key areas of education to ensure that they remain abreast of developments abroad and ensure that the Tongan education system remains relevant. 8.56. An overarching principle which applies to each of the areas of education concerned with improved learning in schools is that education requires specialist practitioners. It is unrealistic to expect teachers to be able to become competent curriculum designers/writers, assessment experts or teacher trainers without specific training and long term commitment to a particular specialisation. Skilled practitioners in each of these areas need to be identified, trained and constantly retrained if the system is to keep abreast of developments in the rest of the world. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 74 Recommendations concerning the School Curriculum Recommendation 4 8.57. The Ministry of Education should co-locate the Examinations Unit with the Curriculum Development Unit under a single administration, with a core of competent staff appointed, trained and given long term tenure in the positions created. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 4 8.58. Adoption of this recommendation would improve accessibility of services to school students and the public. Retention of officers on a long-term basis will enhance the productivity and skills of officers and enhance morale. 8.59. There are few obvious cost implications arising from this recommendation, provided suitable accommodation for the combined Unit can be identified. Training costs could actually be reduced as a result of well-trained core staff retaining their positions for the medium term instead of the present requirement to continually retrain staff because of staff redeployment. Recommendation 5 8.60. The Ministry of Education should undertake a review of the primary and secondary school curriculum in order to ensure appropriate linkages between the levels of schooling and to further enhance transition between the levels and foster the introduction of new subjects. This will lead to the production and delivery of: • an overarching curriculum framework in order to provide progression and continuity in learning outcomes from pre-school levels to Year 13 (Form 7); • a broader curriculum which recognises existing strengths while relating school learning outcomes and objectives to the educational, social and economic goals of the country; • an appropriate sequence of revised specific subject syllabi within the curriculum framework; • revised secondary Agriculture and Technology syllabi through an early request for assistance to ensure progress in these areas is maintained, and to meet the pressing need for more relevant practical courses in secondary school; • sufficient and appropriate teaching and learning support resources to enable children to maximise their potential; • improved school broadcasting programmes, such as radio and television, for primary and secondary schools; and • revised primary and secondary physical education and sports syllabuses. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 75 Implications of Implementing Recommendation 5 8.61. It is imperative that Tonga should continue to develop within the country the expertise to review and update curricula. This expertise must then be retained within a core of officers who are given regular opportunities for updating their skills through mechanisms such as short-term overseas attachments, in-country training and access to web-based information. 8.62. An overarching Curriculum “Framework” is necessary in any curriculum revision exercise to ensure each subject area has a reference to which it relates. This need not necessarily be too ambitious, but the process of developing the “Framework” ens ures that all curriculum developers (and assessors) share the same values and goals and are working towards shared outcomes for students throughout the school years. 8.63. Review of curricula should occur on a regular and planned basis and revision undertaken as a result of evaluation of existing curricula and changes in external society. It is thus essential that a core of curriculum officers is developed and retained in Tonga with the skills and expertise to continuously review and evaluate curricula. The most effective method for developing such a core of curriculum officers with the appropriate skills is through donor assistance. 8.64. Donor assistance should be sought for redevelopment of the school curriculum. Such assistance would need to be predicated upon Recommendation 4 having been implemented, so that core skills are retained. The assistance could be most appropriate in the form of a generalist international Curriculum Adviser working full time in the Curriculum and Assessment Unit for an initial one year term, then returning for short follow-up visits of one to two months twice a year over the succeeding two years. The cost of such assistance is likely to be in the order of $240,000 (Adviser 12 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 24 months @ $10,000 /month). 8.65. Donor assistance is also required in the short term to maintain the momentum of revision to the secondary Agriculture, Technology and Physical Education curricula. A more practically focused and relevant curriculum in these areas could do much to begin the process of more closely matching the school curriculum to society’s needs. The assistance could be most appropriate in the form of a specialist Curriculum Adviser working full time in the Curriculum and Assessment Unit for an initial two month term, then returning for a follow-up visit of two months after an intervening four to six months of local development. The cost of such assistance is likely to be in the order of $75,000 (Adviser 3 + 3 = 6 months @ $12,500/month). 8.66. Improving the availability of teaching support materials to teachers and students in schools has two cost dimensions – the cost of developing relevant materials, and the cost of printing and distributing sufficient quantities. The first of these costs can be mitigated to some extent by Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 76 adapting/adopting existing materials. The second of these costs, may, to some extent, be met through savings made by introducing some of the measures outlined earlier. Savings measures such as rationalising the number of schools, rationalising the numbers of teachers provided to smaller schools and raising the average pupil:teacher ratio should be investigated. 8.67. Donor assistance for an initial supply of newly developed support materials would be appropriate to assist in ensuring that introduction of the new curricula deve loped is not compromised by lack of recurrent funding. The cost of such supply is likely to be in the order of $160,000 (Indicative Minimum Printing Cost = Teachers x Subjects x Cost of Teachers’ Guide + Syllabus = 2000 x 8 x $10 = $160,000). Recommendation concerning Assessment Recommendation 6 8.68. The Ministry of Education should broaden the assessment system in Tonga to ensure a wider range of students’ skills and abilities is assessed, by: • establishing an Assessment Review Working Party, including representation from the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment, to review the current school assessment system and report to the Director of the Ministry of Education; • reporting the findings of the Assessment Review Working Party to the independent Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board which has oversight of all qualifications in Tonga; • phasing out the Secondary Entrance Examination at Year 6 (Class 6) and replacing it in the short term with an examination at the end of compulsory education at Year 8 (Form 2) to select entrants for secondary schools which would then cater for Year 9 (Form 3) and above, • in the medium to longer term, examining the feasibility of removing the Secondary Entrance Examination completely and allowing social promotion to Year 11 (Form 5) with selection to secondary schools (beginning at Year 9 (Form 3)) determined by a combination of school-determined criteria and geographic zoning; • developing and applying assessment instruments across the early primary years to assist with diagnosing learning difficulties and remediation strategies; and • adopting a regional qualification for Year 13 (Form 7) developed by the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment and introduced in 2004 to replace the New Zealand University Bursaries examination, with recognition sought from international qualifications organisations such as the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the New Zealand Vice Chancellors’ Committee, in order to ensure entry for tertiary study equivalent to that previously generated by performance in the University Bursaries examination. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 77 Implications of Implementing Recommendation 6 8.69. The Assessment Review Working Party (RWP) should be established with a limited Terms of Reference and a short reporting period. Assistance for the review process should be sought from SPBEA. The objectives of the RWP would be to (i) plan the move of the SEE from Year 6 (Class 6) to Year 8 (Form 2), and (ii) examine and report on the type, number and placement of examinations at the upper secondary levels with the aim of rationalisation. 8.70. Where assessment is to be used to select students for further study, that assessment should be undertaken as late as possible so that the fewest numbers of students are disadvantaged, hence the importance of the move of the SEE from Year 6 (Class 6) to the end of Year 8 (Form 2). 8.71. The Donor assistance described under Recommendation 5 (International Curriculum Adviser for 12 + 4 + 4 + 4 months) would extend to training and mentoring the Assessment Officers in Outcomes-based curriculum and assessment and building a team approach so that curriculum and assessment objectives are more closely aligned. 8.72. It is vital that the assessment system be widened to cover the whole range of student abilities, to support student learning, to assist in diagnosing student difficulties and to inform teachers of the effectiveness of strategies they use. 8.73. The issue of diagnostic testing to assist language and literacy teaching is covered in the recommendation below. Assessment at Years 11 – 13 (Forms 5, 6 and 7) 8.74. Currently secondary students in Tonga follow a national curriculum at Year 11 (Form 5) leading to the Tonga School Certificate, follow a regional curriculum in Year 12 (Form 6) leading to the Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate (PSSC), and follow the New Zealand curriculum in Year 13 (Form 7) leading to the New Zealand University Bursaries examination. Each year concludes with external examinations. 8.75. There are a number of areas of concern: • the norming and scaling of results in Tonga School Certificate appears to emphasise a student’s ability in English, and may disadvantage those with strengths in other subjects. This issue will be addressed as part of the review of curriculum and will be included in the terms of reference for the Assessment Review Working Party (refer to Recommendation 6); • the last three years of schooling are arguably over-assessed with annual external examinations; currently, each examination is set and managed by a different qualifications authority; Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 78 • articulation from one year to another is not always smooth, with evidence showing that the transition from Form 6 (PSSC) to Form 7 (NZ University Bursaries) is difficult. (In 2001, 77 of the 178 candidates for the New Zealand University Bursaries examination received the qualification); • the New Zealand University Bursaries examination will be replaced in 2004 by the New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), providing Tonga with both an imperative and an opportunity to re-evaluate the Form 7 curriculum and assessment. Year 13 (Form 7) From 2004 8.76. Options with respect to a Year 13 (Form 7) qualification from 2004 for Tonga include: 8.77. Option 1: Develop a national Year 13 (Form 7) curriculum. Although this may be a desirable lo ng-term objective, it does not seem feasible in the short term, owing to resource constraints and the desire in Tonga for an internationally recognised Year 13 (Form 7) qualification. 8.78. Option 2: Adopt an established international curriculum e.g. the International Baccalaureate, or Cambridge A Levels. These are two year programmes which are culturally foreign in much of the content, and would require significant expense in resources, teacher training, assessment and moderation. Some of the components of the curriculum may be difficult to achieve. These options are unlikely to be suitable for Tonga. 8.79. Option 3: Continue with a regional qualification developed with SPBEA, and with recognition sought from international qualifications organisations such as NZQA and the New Zealand Vice Chancellors’ Committee (NZVCC). 8.80. This latter option would seem to be the most viable one, and the one recommended by the Study Team. Discussions are progressing well with SPBEA, which is working with the New Zealand Government and NZQA. Liaison with the NZVCC over university entrance requirements is also being established. 8.81. Considering the time constraints, the choice of an existing partner, in regional co-operation, with New Zealand Government support, has considerable advantages. It will not require the replacement of the Year 12 (Form 6) curriculum, and the Year 13 (Form 7) year can be designed to allow for a smooth transition between years. The possibility of rationalising and reducing the incidence of external assessment ove r the two senior school years becomes a possibility. The PSSC qualification at Year 12 (Form 6) is already increasing the incidence of internal assessment to appropriately measure some outcomes. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 79 8.82. The Study Team has also examined the further option of adopting the New Zealand curriculum and qualification, the National Certificate of Educational Achievement. It is not the policy of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to accredit providers in overseas jurisdictions for the New Zealand Qualifications Framework. The NZQA has advised that the NCEA is not an option for Tonga. This option has therefore not been pursued by the Study Team. Recommendation concerning Languages and Literacy Recommendation 7 8.83. The Ministry of Education should revise the existing policy on languages, literacy, and bilingualism, taking into account that: • the main language of instruction in primary schools will be Tongan Language up to the end of Year 3 (Class 3), that both Tongan and English (bilingual) will be used as the languages of instruction in Years 4 to 6 (Classes 4 to 6), and that English will be the main language of instruction from Year 7 (Form 1) onwards; • Tongan Language and Culture is taught throughout the school from Years 1 to 13 (Class 1 to Form 7); • appropriate in-service training is provided to all early childhood and primary school teachers to develop their skills to meet the stated Tongan and English language curriculum objectives, with a focus on developing literacy skills; • high priority is given to developing, producing and distributing quality learning resources to support the development of literacy and numeracy (both graded readers and good quality books) initially in Tongan for the early primary school years, and then in both Tongan and English; and • an adequate supply of books, both in Tongan and in English, is made available for use across the curriculum. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 7 8.84. The adoption of this recommendation regarding language policy should ensure the enhancement of the Tongan language and Tongan culture at large. Schools which choose to use English as the language of instruction from Year 1 (Class 1) must also teach Tongan Language in every year. 8.85. Tonga Side School is exceptional in that it is a government-funded school with English as the medium of instruction. Increasing fees gradually (over, for example, five years) until they cover real costs is an option that would free up funds for use elsewhere in the education sector. 8.86. There is a recognition that with increasing globalisation, Tonga's trade and relations in the Pacific with other English-speaking nations, and the fact that English is used as the language of business in Tonga, make proficiency in English for all Tongans a necessity. The public policy Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 80 questions for education have to involve a trade-off between the need for retention of Tongan culture, the importance of the Tongan language to national identity, the reality that most Tongans speak Tongan as their mother tongue when they start school, and the need to develop an appropriate policy on bilingualism and schooling that recognises that proficiency in both Tongan and English is essential. An option that needs to be explored is whether schooling in the medium of English - based on the Tonga curriculum - needs to be available from the start of primary school in Tonga Government primary schools (even if only as an option in some schools at this stage). 8.87. Given the problems identified with student literacy, assistance for a supply of primary readers in the Tongan language is of high priority. The most immediate mechanism for meeting such demand is the adaptation/ translation of existing relevant readers from other countries and reprinting existing Tongan readers which are missing from some schools. 8.88. A short term option for meeting the need for literacy materials described above would be the outsourcing of translation of existing readers from other countries into Tongan and printing and distributing these. An Indicative Cost for an initial supply of 10 different books available to each child for each year level from Years 1 to 4 (Classes 1 to 4) in primary schools would be $242,000. 8.89. Details of Indicative Costing (based on 20 existing books in Tongan and 20 books to be translated): • Development = Translation 20 books = Translator salary for 6 months = $10,000; • Scanning/Typesetting/Processing = 40 x $1000/book = $40,000; • Printing = Readers x Children x Cost per book = 10 x 2400 x 4 x $2 = $192,000); • Total = Development + Typesetting + Printing = $242,000. 8.90. Improving diagnosis of learning difficulties, particularly for language and literacy in the early primary years, is crucial. Some donor assistance has previously been provided for trialling such testing and assessing the suitability of regionally developed materials. Further donor assistance should be sought for continuing this initiative. An Indicative Cost based on an international Literacy and Numeracy Adviser making two visits of one month each per year for three years is $150,000 (3 x (2 + 2) = 12 months @$12,500/month). 8.91. Retaining a core of education advisers in literacy and numeracy within the primary division of the Ministry as specialists is recommended. The possibility of a Partnership between these MOE specialists and an overseas tertiary education institution could also be investigated. Such an arrangement could be mounted at low recurring cost – the cost of maintaining communications. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 81 8.92. A lack of resource materials in the Tongan language for students in Years 5 to 8 (Class 5 to Form 2) has been identified as a factor in some students’ lowered interest in reading that contributes to low achievement in secondary school. The indicative cost for redressing this inadequacy based on providing class sets of five Tongan language readers at each year level for Years 5 to 8 (Class 5 to Form 2) is $222,000. 8.93. Details of Indicative Costing (based on 20 books to be written/translated): • Development = Translation 20 books = Translator salary for 6 months = $10,000; • Scanning/Typesetting/Processing = 20 x $1000/book = $20,000; • Printing = Readers x Children x Cost per book = 5 x 2400 x 4 x $4 = $192,000); • Total = Development + Typesetting + Printing = $222,000. Recommendations concerning Teacher Education Recommendation 8 8.94. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to ensure an adequate supply of trained teachers delivering a consistently high standard of education to meet the needs of all schools in Tonga by providing appropriate facilities, resources and support, and by continuing to strengthen the Tonga Institute of Education. Recommendation 9 8.95. The Tonga Institute of Education Advisory Committee for Teacher Education comprising representatives of the government and non- government education providers and other stakeholders should be re- established to: • coordinate and advise on all pre-service and in-service teacher education offerings; • develop a coordinated plan for pre-service and in-service education offerings, which recognises serving teachers’ need for a qualification; • encourage partnership between government and non-government providers for integrated planning; and • ensure that in-service training forms an integral part of the overall revision of curriculum and assessment in schools. Implications of Implementing Recommendations 8 and 9 8.96. Effective learning in schools depends upon effective teaching. The quality of teaching is a significant factor in raising the level of student achievement. The effective preparation and supply of teachers are therefore fundamental aspects of a well–performing education system. Government has an important role in creating the environment in which teachers can be well prepared for their role. While not all teachers need necessarily be trained in the state institution, in a small country like Tonga the Government has a particular responsibility to ensure that its one Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 82 teachers’ training college is well supported and resourced, is itself staffed by well qualified teachers or lecturers, has a sound system of quality assurance in place, and is able to deliver quality programmes. 8.97. Maintaining the supply of teachers also requires effective long-term planning, as discussed earlier in this Report. 8.98. In order to achieve the outcomes required from previous recommendations it will be necessary for TIOE to be supported, through donor assistance and by the MOE, to ensure that: • pre-service curricula and teaching and learning processes anticipate and reflect proposed changes in school curriculum and assessment; • the TIOE curriculum is strengthened in areas of diagnosis and remediation of children’s learning difficulties and working with children with special needs; • the TIOE curriculum is further strengthened in areas of language and literacy learning (bi-lingual literacy); • a programme is provided for teachers in early childhood education; • the Graduate Diploma of Education is continued to target the training of teachers in areas of skills shortage for senior secondary levels; and • teacher education programmes for post-secondary/tertiary teachers and teachers of vocational and technical programmes are provided. 8.99. The re-establishment of the advisory committee concerned with pre- service and in-service offerings is desirable, in the spirit of partnership between systems, to ensure that scarce resources are used most efficiently for the benefit of all teachers irrespective of the system in which they teach. The advisory committee would be tasked with ensuring that the present impediments to all teachers’ access to professional development are eliminated. The committee would also be tasked with ensuring that the in-service offerings associated with the adoption of new curriculum and assessment systems are planned, integrated and delivered for optimal teacher development. 8.100. Cost implications include the following: • For TIOE Strengthening - Advisor assistance (4 specialists x 6 weeks x 3years) =$62,500/year ($193,000) plus attachments and resources for TIOE Staff $10,000 per year ($30,000). • For In-service Teacher Training – Advisor assistance for Special Needs and Language and Literacy Development (2 specialists x 6 weeks x 3years) = $47,500/year ($142,500), plus resources for training $10,000 per year ($30,000). 8.101. The additional costs arising from implementing these recommendations are minimal in comparison with the benefits. These recommendations and their implications reflect on-going concerns expressed by the Government of Tonga and the Ministry of Education, and are being reiterated here to emphasise the importance placed on the development of teacher education in Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 83 Strengthened Human Resource Development Rationale 8.102. Human resource development (HRD) is a desirable goal in itself. It is an engine of, and a prerequisite for, economic growth. It also contributes to finding and creating jobs. Investing in People is one of the three key themes identified by the Central Planning Department in Strategic Development Plan 7 (SDP7). This strategic planning document includes goals such as full employment and high incomes in the labour force, and good quality primary, secondary and tertiary education, especially vocational and technical education, with equal opportunity and access for both men and women. Investment in education and health is a fundamental way of improving human resource development. 8.103. Principle 1: Strengthening human resource development across all sectors of Tongan society is an investment in education and training that will bring economic and social benefits to the country in the longer-term national interest. 8.104. The need for a planned and strategic approach to HRD is supported by the age structure. The 1996 Census records that approximately 39% of the population is under the age of 15, and over 55% of the population is under the age of 25. In 1996 the population had a young age structure with a median age of 19.9 years of age. Tonga’s overall unemployment rate is estimated at around 13.3%, with most unemployed being youth. The annual number of school leavers is estimated at approximately 2000 per annum14. There is also a relatively high dependency age ratio in Tonga (in the sense that every 100 working persons support 80 dependants, 71 of whom are young and 9 of whom are old). 8.105. Most of the Strategic Result Areas (SRAs) in SDP7 make specific reference to the need for effective human resource development. SRA1 (Improving Comparative Advantages and Competitive Position) refers to enhancing the productivity of labour and industries through training and improvements in technology and management. SRA2 (Facilitating the Development of the Private Sector) stresses the need to develop education and training schemes to accommodate the skill needs of the private sector, including the annual training needs surveys funded under Aid. SRA4 (Developing Human Resources, including Youth and International Sports) emphasises the need to diversify and raise the skill level of the Tonga working age population (both men and women). 14 Budget Statement for Year Ending 30th June 2003, Government of Tonga, page 5 (“Each year about 2000 young men and women leave school to look for work.”) See also Economic Outlook, Reform Secretariat, Establishment Division, Prime Minister’s Office, June 2002, page 2 (2000 school leavers). There are, however, some discrepancies in the data about the number of school leavers. See, for instance, Economic and Social Impact Monitoring and Evaluation Reform Secretariat, Establishment Division, Prime Minister’s Office, June 2002, page 3 (a reference to 1000 school leavers per annum). The age cohort in each school year group averages over 2000, so the estimate of 2000 school leavers annually is the more likely figure. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 84 8.106. SRA6 (Developing of Communication and Information Technology) notes the need to establish training at all levels to ensure maximum benefits are achieved from information technology. SRA10 (Employment Creation) is devoted almost exclusively to improvement of human resource capability through education and training. SRA11 (Improvement of Access to Government Services in Rural Areas and Outer Islands) focuses on the enhancement of human resources through the development of skill manpower, and the improvement of technical and vocational training opportunities. 8.107. Principle 2: A nationally co-ordinated approach to HRD, in both formal and informal education will maximise use of facilities and resources. 8.108. The Ministry of Education is the major agency responsible for human resource development in Tonga: however, everyone must play a role in human resource development, including other Government departments, industry, churches, non-governmental organisations, and the community. 8.109. It is desirable to achieve a coordinated national system of post- compulsory education, with adequate provision to meet the needs of Tonga’s society and economy, making effective use of limited resources. Post-compulsory qualifications must be relevant to Tonga’s needs, quality assured and internationally recognised. 8.110. Principle 3: HRD planning should be based on a systematic identification of the country’s national needs and priorities. 8.111. A broader, longer term, cooperative approach needs to be taken to human resource planning. This broader approach needs to be based on an independent, comprehensive and systematic national training needs analysis. This training needs analysis is needed in order to determine the scope and direction of Tonga’s future training needs. Resources then need to be targeted to meet those needs. 8.112. Scholarships have been made available to Tongan people by donors in order to foster skill development. An annual allocation of funds for in- country training is also supported by donors, with similar human resource development objectives. More opportunities may be targeted as a result of strengthened HRD planning. 8.113. Principle 4: Facilitation of private sector growth is essential in order to achieve economic growth. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 85 8.114. Without growth in the private sector, unemployment will rise and more young people will be at risk. Achievement of economic growth through the private sector will require the development of skills in order to create jobs, such as • foundation skills (literacy, numeracy, attendance, punctuality, teamwork….); • work readiness, work habits, work ethic; • self motivation, independence, interdependence…..; • enterprise, innovation, initiative, problem solving, creativity….; • interpersonal skills/customer service; • learning, thinking and adaptability skills. 8.115. Development of the skills cited above will assist in employment creation, and will lead to greater productivity in the work force. The development of a skilled and competent labour force cannot occur without an investment in education and training. The training required needs to occur on the job, as well as in formal institutional settings. On-the-job training needs to be driven by the needs of industry. Industries also need to be capable of offering increased employment opportunities. 8.116. Investment in human resource development (that is, an investment in people) will help a shift towards private sector led growth to occur, so that Tongan people take charge of their own destiny. 8.117. Principle 5: Technical and vocational education and training will sharpen the skills needed for economic growth and will lead to an increase in productivity in the labour force. 8.118. In developing technical and vocational education in Tonga it will be desirable to strengthen programmes and opportunities that improve access to vocational/technical education (VTE), be more responsive to industry needs and achieve greater coordination and synergy between secondary and post-secondary VTE. 8.119. Specific issues and recommendations to strengthen human resource development in Tonga follow under the headings of Post-Secondary Education, Technical and Vocational Education, HRD Training Needs Analysis, and Lifelong Learning. Post-Secondary Education 8.120. This section covers post-secondary education in general. Vocational and technical education and teacher education are additionally covered in separately designated sections. 8.121. Post-secondary education is concerned with advancement of knowledge, scholarship and intellectual pursuit, and at the same time focuses attention on employment related skills and development. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 86 Planning for Post-Secondary Education Recommendation 10 8.122. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education, in conjunction with the other recommendations relating to HRD and a training needs analysis, should develop a specific National Strategic Plan for formal Post -Secondary Education and Training as part of its broader Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga, ensuring co-ordination with other post-secondary education providers. Implications of Impleme nting Recommendation 10 8.123. The Study Team has found that formal post-secondary education provision in Tonga is complex and varied, with over 20 different providers funded by government and the private sector. The provision of post-secondary education should be better coordinated so limited resources may be shared. 8.124. A planned approach to the development of formal post-secondary education, taking into consideration the role of all other post-secondary education providers, should lead to a more efficient sector. Co-ordination of Post-Secondary Institutes Recommendation 11 8.125. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to foster an internationally recognised tertiary education sector in Tonga by coordinating existing post-secondary education and expanding the Tonga Institute of Higher Education to create a separate autonomous tertiary education institution, accountable to a duly constituted Governing Body, and responsible directly to the Minister of Education for its policy direction and for achievement of its negotiated outcomes. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 11 8.126. At present there are several Government post-secondary training institutions on Tongatapu: the Tonga Institute of Education; the Tonga Institute of Science and Techno logy; the Community Development and Training Centre (CDTC); the Short Term Training Centre, the Distance Education and Communications Centre; the Queen Salote School of Nursing; the Tonga Health Training Centre; and other specialist training centres under the umbrella of the Police and Defence Forces. 8.127. In 1985 a proposal for the development of post-secondary education established the CDTC with a role and functions to include coordination of all formal and non-formal education and training at this level, and a Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 87 rationalisation of the use of human and physical resources.15 In the interim some coordination has occurred, specifically in the administration of MOE post-secondary institutes, but much greater financial efficiencies, and non-financial benefits, could be achieved by a review of the role of CDTC. 8.128. The integration of administration of some or all of this government funded post-secondary education has the potential to provide educational and efficiency benefits. This proposed development could extend to location of all delivery on one physical campus, but the actual physical integration of programmes on one site could be a longer-term goal. The proposed integration of services would enhance library and information technology services, strengthen staffing, foster efficiency through use of specialist teachers across different faculties, rationalise resource use and programme delivery, and support adult and continuing education and the training of teachers for post-secondary education. 8.129. Expanding and strengthe ning TIHE is a logical first step towards the development of a robust tertiary education sector and the development of a national university in the future. Autonomy of governance for TIHE is seen as necessary to ensure the international recognition of qualifications by: • allowing for academic independence; • enabling the development of specialist tertiary educators; • attracting the return of qualified Tongans from positions overseas; and • providing for the development of an independent research focus. 8.130. Financial and resource management for post-secondary education may be enhanced by the establishment of an autonomous TIHE, by fostering greater transparency. With current centralised funding and resource distribution models, it is difficult to determine actual costs for post- secondary education, set realistic fee levels, and plan for future needs and developments. 8.131. The Staffing Allocation Exercise is carried out at different levels of the MOE and finalised by Central Administration. Staff are liable to be moved to other posts according to the needs of the MOE and suitability of staff. There has been very little stability in the position of Deputy Director of Non-Formal and Post Secondary Education in recent years, owing to retirement and other demands of the MOE. As management of government post-secondary education relies heavily on this position, the MOE realises that frequent changes may have compromised consistent development in post-secondary education. 8.132. Current proposals suggest the co-ordination of all government funded post-secondary education with the Tonga Institute of Higher Education. 15 Draft Proposal for the Development of Post-Secondary Education. The Role and Functions of the CDTC. Ministry of Education Tonga. February 1985. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 88 The Study Team feels that considerable financial efficiencies, and non- financial benefits, could be achieved with such a development. 8.133. The Study Team recognises initial action has been taken in Tonga to establish positions in the administration of TIHE. However, clarification of the staffing structure for TIHE, and the status of these positions vis-à- vis existing positions in the various institutions which will comprise TIHE, is needed before the position descriptions can be finalised and appointments made. 8.134. Tonga’s relatively small population necessitates the amalgamation of post-secondary offerings under the umbrella of a tertiary institution where scarce resources are used most effectively for a viable numbers of students. For the amalgamated institution to receive due recognition outside Tonga, it will be crucial to make more permanent appointments of trained and dedicated staff. 8.135. There are cost implications for resourcing TIHE adequately. At present, funding for the administrative staffing has been allocated. However, it is less clear that adequate provision has been made for the minimum library, laboratory and other resources required for a tertiary institution to be recognised internationally. At this stage, when its physical location is conjectural, it is difficult to quantify the cost of ensuring that TIHE has the necessary resources to be recognised internationally. 8.136. The recommendations of the Study Team include establishing a representative governing body for the proposed TIHE, reporting through the Minister of Education. The duly appointed TIHE management team will set and collect fees, and manage staff appointments and remuneration. 8.137. As indicated, the establishment of TIHE has been discussed in Tonga and proposed organisational structure and job descriptions prepared. The Study Team feels that some immediate specialist assistance is required for this development to achieve its potential, to maximise the use of resources, and to form the basis for a robust tertiary education sector in Tonga. 8.138. Estimated costs: • $50,000 for adviser (16-17 weeks) during 2003, to commence as soon as possible, to build on existing work and ensure the new structure and systems for TIHE will be ready for implementation in 2004; • staffing costs for TIHE should be covered from restructuring within existing staffing; and • developments will be funded from the approved MOE subsidy (currently provided through funding of existing Institutes), and student fees should be set at an appropriate level. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 89 Quality Management in Post-Secondary Education 8.139. A key principle is that the quality of post-secondary education and training could be improved by the introduction of further measures to establish a qualifications framework for post-compulsory qualifications, and to enhance quality management. 8.140. The quality of the post secondary education provided in government institutes is recognised and monitored in a number of ways: • through regular review and annual external moderation of TIOE by USP, New Zealand and Australia; • through international recognition of the equivalence of qualifications e.g. Teaching and Nursing Diplomas; • through the number of articulation and twinning agreements with international institutions; and • through the success of students moving on to further study overseas. 8.141. Although articulation arrangements which provide benchmarks with overseas qualifications are in place for some programmes, a more defined framework for post-secondary education will make it easier for students to transfer (staircase) within post-secondary education. Clearer systems, with links to industry, for the approval, accreditation, quality assurance and audit of post-compulsory qualifications will enhance the development of a coherent in-country post-secondary education system of qualifications. 8.142. However, the quality and marketability of Tonga post-secondary qualifications has to be considered within the context of the ability to provide quality resources, facilities and teachers. Non-government post- secondary institutions are particularly vulnerable in this area. As the numbers involved in in-country post-secondary education are relatively small, further coordination and cooperation among the different systems to avoid duplication, share resources, information and skills could increase effectiveness. 8.143. Another quality issue is the need for more qualified, trained and specialist staff to meet the needs of this sector. Many teachers/lecturers come from professions or industry and have no training in teaching or assessment. Provision of some training for post-secondary teachers and in-service support could strengthen the capabilities of post-secondary institutions. 8.144. Costs for implementing the TNQAB are included in the following section, but it is important to note that the costs of some TNQAB processes for quality assurance and audit will be carried by the post-secondary providers. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 90 Establishment of the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board Recommendation 12 8.145. The Government of Tonga through the Minister of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs by establishing the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board, approved by Cabinet in 1987, as a statutory body to provide strategic direction, co-ordination, industry input, quality assurance and audit for a qualifications system of post-compulsory education and training in Tonga. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 12 8.146. One of the critical issues in formal VTE, involving both secondary and post-secondary education, is to ensure smooth pathways and staircasing of qualifications from secondary to post-secondary levels, and among the many providers. A key concept in achieving this synergy is to recognise that there is an area of education and training which includes all post secondary education and training, work-based training and alternative school-based vocational courses of study, which may be seen collectively as a system of Post Compulsory Education and Training. 8.147. The diagram in Figure 2 illustrates the overlap between secondary and post-secondary education in the area called post-compulsory education. It is in the area of overlap between secondary and post-secondary education that alternative school-based, industry focused programmes could provide recognised technical qualifications for students at school. Preventing duplication of learning and ensuring a smooth transition to further VTE will be facilitated if there is a Tonga national framework for qualifications that are outcome focused and based on industry standards, wherever appropriate. 8.148. In 1987 Cabinet approved the establishment of a Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board (TNQAB). In 1998/99, at the request of the Tonga Government, New Zealand funded an appraisal mission to assess the situation at the time, and the future requirements for the establishment of a qualifications and assessment system for Tonga. As a result of this work, legislation to set up the TNQAB was prepared and submitted to the Crown Law Office. Industry involvement in formal education and training was an integral component of this model, with industry sector group committees established to ensure that qualifications met the needs and standards set by industry. (See Figure 3; TNQAB Structure and Relationships). Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 91 8.149. The rationale for the establishment of the TNQAB was: • to enable the identification of clear pathways in post compulsory education and training; • to establish and maintain effective liaison with overseas certifying and validating bodies, in order to recognise overseas qualifications in Tonga and to achieve additional recognition of Tonga qualifications overseas; • to provide a range of recognised qualifications which reward achievements, increase student self esteem and motivation to study; • to monitor and enhance the quality of post compulsory education and training courses of study; • to provide a mechanism for industry to ensure that appropriate standards are met; and • to respond to strong support from interest groups. 8.150. To implement the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board (TNQAB), the following sequence of activities is envisaged over a 3 year period, commencing in 2003: • TNQAB legislation is passed and executive appointments made; • the secretariat of the TNQAB is established, housed with the combined Curriculum and Assessment Unit, and an adviser provides support for the development of a Qualifications Framework for Tonga and the criteria, systems and procedures to undertake the functions of the TNQAB; • a programme of training and support is provided to assist providers meet the criteria for registration, programme approval and accreditation; • a pilot programme for registration and accreditation to offer approved programmes is undertaken and evaluated; • established providers are registered, and programmes approved, at an appropriate level on the qualifications framework, and accredited; • a pilot programme for the quality audit of providers is undertaken and evaluated; and • an audit schedule for all providers is established and implemented. 8.151. Donor assistance is required for costs as follows: • $62,500 for Advisor costs over a 3 year period (25 weeks). • Set up and annual operational costs are indicated in the Change Management and Implementation Plan. Technology Resource Centres Recommendation 13 8.152. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to investigate all avenues for rationalising and enhancing the provision of facilities and resources for vocational and technical education, including exploring the viability of specialist technology/resource centres available to school and community groups. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 92 Implications of Implementing Recommendation 13 8.153. Most of the current provision for formal and non-formal VTE is centred on Tongatapu, where the majority of the population is found. Some outer island employers report skills gaps and shortages in many technical areas. Further development of technical training facilities in schools on the outer islands will provide opportunity for both formal and informal VTE and increase access to training. 8.154. Possible activities to implement this recommendation would include: • a survey of the provision of resources (including teachers) and facilities for VTE to develop a national plan for the rationalisation and provision of facilities and resources (including teachers) for VTE; • preparation of a schedule for establishing specialist technology/resource centres, to be available to clusters of school and community groups (targeting rural and remote areas); and • establishment of resource centres, that is, Community Development and Training Centres at Vava’u, Ha’apai and ‘Eua. 8.155. Donor assistance would be sought to provide technical advice and for facilities and equipment. (See Change Management and Implementation Plan). Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 93 Figure 2: Post Compulsory Education and Training in Tonga Degrees Diplomas - Secondary) Bursary (Including Post Certificates PSSC Tonga SC Post Compulsory Education and Training Age 14 (or 6 years schooling) Period of Compulsory Education Primary and Secondary Education Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 94 Figure 3: The Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board: Structure and Relationships Minister of Education Cabinet Government External Board of Tonga Recognition Executive Ministries (Twinning, NZQA, Sector Group ASA, etc) Private Committees Sector & Commu Board nity Secretariat Board Working Post Compulsory Committees/ Providers Panels Students The structure includes: A Board Executive, the decision making body for the Board with authority to make decisions based on the recommendations of the Board committees and to advise the Minister on those decisions. Consisting of not fewer than 4 and not more than 6 members appointed by the Minister of Education with the consent of Cabinet and having regard to the interests of sector groups, government organisations, non- government organisations, the professions, the community and organisations responsible for providing post compulsory education and training. A Board Secretariat (permanent staff) to support the functions of the Board Sector Group Committees will ensure that qua lifications and training meet the needs and standards set by industry and the community. Sector groups may include engineering, health, agriculture, fishing, community, tourism, business and education. Working Committees/Panels will be established as appropriate to assist the Executive to carry out the functions of the TNQAB, such as programme approval, recognition of qualifications, accreditation, monitoring and review, and to hear appeals. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 95 Use of Technology Recommendation 14 8.156. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should maximise the use of technology to: • enhance and facilitate on-line and distance education which supports further articulation agreements with international institutions; and • provide early childhood, primary, secondary and post-secondary education opportunities, particularly to outer islands. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 14 8.157. The increased use of technology to access learning and recognised qualifications can be a cost effective way to achieve higher education outcomes in Tonga. This has already been demonstrated by the articulation agreement with The Open Polytechnic of NZ to achieve a degree in Accounting for Diploma of Accounting graduates from CDTC. 8.158. Post secondary education and training opportunities for the population on the outer islands are limited. The exceptions are Hango Agricultural College on ‘Eua, opportunities offered by USP Extension Centre outer island offices, and some short term training courses. The use of technology to access learning and recognised qualifications may enable greater provision of education to outer islands. 8.159. The current use of radio technology to deliver community education programmes and support to schools is very successful. This success may be enhanced, by well trained educational broadcasters, and through an extension of the use of the radio as an effective and efficient means of delivering quality programmes to the distributed population of Tonga. Cost Sharing in Post-Secondary Education 8.160. Further development of cost sharing partnerships among students, providers, employers, government and other providers may assist with access to and funding of post-secondary education. Improved links with potential employers and industry, and the widening of the scholarship programme to include more non-government and private sector recipients, could be a component of improved partnerships. 8.161. A proposed student loan scheme for post-secondary education requires careful consideration and planning if it is not to add to the debt burden of individuals and the nation. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 96 Technical and Vocational Education Technical and Vocational Education in Schools Recommendation 15 8.162. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs by: • further developing the technical subjects at secondary schools to provide a viable and legitimate pathway to equivalent school qualifications for students who wish to study practical subjects, physical education, sports, and the creative arts; and • supporting and recognising the development of school-based alternative programmes in technical/vocational fields which lead to industry-focused qualifications. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 15 8.163. There is a strong desire among the government and people of Tonga to see school-based technical education strengthened, as it has the potential to modify the focus on academic subject choices in schools, and provide an opportunity to link secondary education to employment and self- employment. There are, however, significant constraints: • insufficient or out-of-date equipment; • inadequate numbers of trained teachers; • parental and student attitudes which do not value technical education; and • the need for curriculum reform. 8.164. The current school curriculum structure means that most students have only one choice of a practical subject in Years 7 and 8 (Forms 1 and 2), a choice among Industrial Arts (IA), Home Economics (HE) and Agricultural Science. Choices at this stage affect the ability to continue with the subjects or select them in later years. A more flexible curriculum would allow entry to a wider range of technical subject options at various stages of schooling. 8.165. The cost of materials, lack of adequate facilities and equipment, timetabling constraints, and the orientation to assessment by written examination has led to an overly theoretical approach to the teaching of technical subjects. Subjects, which were intended to be practical and an alternative to more academic subjects, have themselves tended to become academic in approach. 8.166. The introduction of a Technology subject option at PSSC in 2001 is a step forward in gaining recognition for technical education at secondary school. The current revision of the IA and HE curricula to lead into PSSC Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 97 Technology is appropriate. However, there is still concern about the lack of specialisation at Year 11 (Form 5). The Scope and Sequence document that has been developed by the Curriculum Unit is a starting point for the revised Technology curriculum for Years 7-11 (Forms 1-5), but requires considerable further development before implementation, including the development of teacher and student resources and provision of teacher in- service training. 8.167. There is a need therefore to: • review the existing secondary school option subjects and identify additional subjects for introduction in Year 9 (Form 3), to cater for a wider range of student interests and abilities; • complete the revision of secondary Agriculture, IA, HE and Technology syllabi, develop teaching guidelines and resources and provide in-service training for teachers, to meet the pressing need for more relevant practical courses; and • develop and implement syllabi for newly identified practical, physical education/sports and creative arts options for secondary school, develop teaching guidelines and resources, and provide in-service training for teachers. 8.168. Donor assistance is required to maintain the momentum and complete the revision of the Agriculture, IA and HE curricula during 2003 for introduction in 2004. 8.169. Estimated costs are : • $50,000 for adviser/costs (16-17 weeks), and $3,200 for printing new syllabus documents and teacher workbooks (to assist with the development of syllabi for new practical, physical education/sports and creative arts options during 2004, for implementation in 2005); and • $50,000 for adviser/costs (16-17 weeks), and $6,400 for printing new syllabus documents and teacher workbooks (to strengthen provision of appropriate equipment, resources and qualified teachers to implement the revised curricula in Agriculture and Technology, Industrial Arts and Home Economics). Alternative School-based VTE and TNQAB Recognition 8.170. School-based alternative programmes are growing in number and popularity, and are offered by some secondary schools, notably mission schools, in Automotive Engineering, Catering and Hospitality, and Fishing. While some are accredited by a NZ provider and lead to a qualification recognised by NZQA, others do not lead to formal recognition for student outcomes. 8.171. Suggestions have been made that a new type of school focusing on technical subjects is an option to be considered for Tonga. The Study Team favours a model of school-based programmes rather than separate technical schools, as the latter may reinforce existing perceptions that technical education is ‘second-class’. Schools could, however, specialise Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 98 with resources for a specialist option concentrated in one school within a geographical area of Tonga. Programmes can also be targeted to the local labour market, with associated work skills and work experience components. Outer island locations, where the proportion of early leavers from secondary school is higher than on Tongatapu, may benefit from this concept. 8.172. With the establishment of a Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board (TNQAB) and a framework for post-compulsory qualifications in Tonga, there is potential for alternative technical pathways for students in secondary schools to gain recognised formal qualifications. These would be linked to industry needs and would allow students to transfer (staircase) or gain cross-credits to post-secondary study. (See Figure 2: Post-Compulsory Education). Changing Perceptions -Valuing VTE Recommendation 16 8.173. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to provide a public awareness programme to promote the value of vocational/technical education and to raise awareness of the pathways to employment and further study. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 16 8.174. There is a need for a stronger focus on career planning in schools, so that students can assess their own interests, skills and competencies, can (with their parents) become aware of the range of career options available, and can select appropriately from the choice of subjects available at school and beyond, with a view to embarking on possible future careers. Employers, too, have a role in “selling” their industries to the community, particularly to young people as prospective employees, and convincing students that there are jobs and lifestyles on offer which students could enjoy once they make the transition to the world of work. Strong relationships are needed between industries, education providers, and students, so that an effective match can be made between what employers need by way of skilled labour, the lifestyle that various jobs can offer, the expectations that students have about job prospects and future careers, and career promotion. 8.175. In this context, work exploration while young people are still at school is a useful initiative to assist students to develop their “work readiness” skills. The process of offering youth work experience can also assist employers, who can sometimes identify a future employee through the process. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 99 Staffing for VTE in Schools Recommendation 17 8.176. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should review the processes for recruitment and training of teachers for all areas of technical and vocational education, in line with recommendations relating to the strengthening of teacher education. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 17 8.177. While the MOE is aware of the lack of qualified and trained teachers in VTE and has introduced a pathway to train teachers in this area, staffing in schools remains a problem for technical subjects. Issues include: • shortages of specifically trained staff and problems with teacher supply. (It is acknowledged that TIOE has introduced a new programme in 2002 offering diploma graduates in technical subjects a one-year programme leading to a teaching diploma, but it will be some time before graduates emerge from this pathway); • lack of effective training facilities and equipment; • staff mobility and a high dependence on volunteers from overseas in technical subjects; and • limited promotional opportunities for specialist staff. 8.178. An assistance programme to strengthen teacher education has been implemented that will assist in providing teacher training for teachers involved in practical subjects in schools. 8.179. During 1999 a Tonga Technical and Vocational Education Project Design Mission, funded by AusAID and led by Ms Virginia Battye, undertook a project design mission ‘to develop a full design for a project to upgrade practical (non academic) subject teaching and learning in secondary schools especially in the outer islands’16. The report and project design from this mission contain much data and analysis that is still relevant. AusAID did not continue to implement the project design, and Tonga MOE has attempted to incorporate some of the recommendations in subsequent developments. The MOE will continue to seek donor assistance to develop VTE in Tonga. 16 Tonga Technical and Vocational Education Project Design Mission Report. SAGRIC International and Tonga Government, September 1999. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 100 Partnerships in Post-Secondary VTE Recommendation 18 8.180. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs, by exploring possible partnerships among industry, employees and training institutes to further develop and extend a work-based learning model for trade and technical education. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 18 8.181. Although there is a variety of provision for VTE at post-secondary level across sectors and among a range of providers, there is a need for better coordination and stronger links with industry. 8.182. Not only does systematic training to meet national human resource priorities need to occur, but in addition the responsibility for funding that training needs to be shared, since the outcomes of a well-trained work force benefit everyone in society. With limited available resources and facilities for VTE, establishing effective partnerships among industry, employees and training organisations is important for HRD development in Tonga. 8.183. To meet the HRD needs for Tonga it will be necessary to think laterally about the ways in which training is delivered. Traditionally, people enrol in courses at formal institutions. This approach does not seem to have met the need in Tonga for people skilled in technical and vocational areas, although it has worked reasonably well in preparing people for white collar employment. Training may need to be taken to people, rather than people taken to training. The approach taken in the AusAID Tourism Project, in which the facilitator meets with a group of trainees for an initial training session, and then subsequently works intensively on a one-to-one follow- up basis with the trainees in their individual work places, is one commendable example of an innovative and successful approach to human resource development. There is a need to include trained personnel to implement such programmes e.g. by using CDTC staff to assist with the implementation of the AusAID Tourism Project. 8.184. There is a strong rationale for cost–sharing in the funding of training. An investment in training can result in a “win-win” scenario for everyone. Employers need a well-trained staff, and gain productivity benefits from having skilled workers. It is reasonable therefore that employers should take some financial responsibility for the training for their staff (particularly for any firm-specific training from which the employer benefits directly). Staff who are trained benefit from improved skill development and potentially greater earning capacity. Individuals benefit generally from training through higher incomes and an improved quality of Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 101 life. Because individuals derive significant personal benefits from training, particularly at the post-secondary level, they can also be expected to make a financial contribution to the cost of their training. National Human Resource Development Planning Recommendation 19 8.185. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should initiate an independent, comprehensive and systematic national training needs analysis, in order to determine the scope and direction of Tonga’s future training needs, and subsequently develop a National Human Resource Development Plan, linked to its Strategic Plan for Education, by: • setting out the key skill development priorities for the country’s growth; • targeting resources to meet the needs revealed in the national training needs analysis; • fostering relationships between industry and tertiary education providers; and • establishing a mechanism to coordinate national capacity building activities, to achieve synergies in education and training, to ensure that post-secondary education and training is driven by the needs of industry, and to achieve a coherent policy for human resources development and institutional capacity development. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 19 8.186. Some training needs analyses have been undertaken previously in Tonga, but these exercises, while useful, have been necessarily limited in their scope. They appear to have consisted of a written request, mainly addressed to Government Departments, to outline their training needs, in order to help in determining the allocation of aid funds for in-country training. Some private sector firms have been able to respond to this survey, but the reliance on Government Departments to contact all those private firms working in industries within their broad portfolio does not always appear to have been as effective a process as it might have been. The result appears to have been identification of training needs based (at least partly) on the perceptions of public servants, rather than on training needs actually identified by a broad range of private sector employers. A more systematic and comprehensive training needs analysis involving employers directly should be initiated, in order to identify the particular needs of the private sector, and to ensure that these needs can then be met. 8.187. There may also be a need to develop industry–specific training plans, particularly for those major revenue-generating industries (agriculture, fishing and tourism,) that are expected to make major contributions to Tonga’s economy in the future. Small business management and entrepreneurship training may be incorporated in these training plans. A labour and skill development operational plan, which identifies current skill shortages, and anticipated labour needs over the longer term, and Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 102 which sets priorities for future national training needs for each of these key industries would be of assistance in planning future human resource development. A Government commitment to support the training needs identified would be required. 8.188. There are some risks around centralised human resource development planning. This approach involves the determination of labour market needs by some central planning mechanism. Because the labour market is dynamic and complex, and because the market is subject to economic forces that can change quite rapidly, it is always difficult to forecast what the future skill needs of the economy will be. There is also generally a time lag between the point at which the decision to train a person in specified skills is made, and the point at which the student completes the training programme. Market needs can sometimes change quite rapidly, and students may find they have invested time and funds in skill development in an area which central Government thought was important some three or four years previously, but in which, with the passage of time, there may be fewer job opportunities than were originally envisaged. 8.189. For these reasons many countries adopt a market-driven policy whereby students themselves choose where they will invest their time and effort in skill development. This approach assumes that students, not central planners, are the best judges of the areas in which they should make the significant investment in the training that may be required. A policy based on this model would mean that that the “market” would be the instrument that would determine what the training needs of the country were, and that student choice would be the driving force behind enrolment in tertiary education courses. In a large and complex labour market, this approach may have the advantage of more rapid responsiveness to rapidly changing conditions, but may mean in a small country like Tonga that expatriate labour has to be imported if the “market” does not deliver the right mix of skills that the economy requires. Allocation of Scholarships Recommendation 20 8.190. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should ensure that future national HRD needs are being met through an allocation of scholarships to meet the future forecast needs of the work force in Tonga (in both the Government service and the private sector), as demonstrated in the training needs analysis. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 20 8.191. The Study Team believes that an underlying principle in the award of scholarships is that these should be allocated, at least partly, on the basis of meeting the future skill requirements of the country. At present scholarships are awarded to people with strong academic skills. The allocation of scholarships could be targeted more strongly at private sector Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 103 needs (as well as the public sector) in order to serve the national interest. The present system (which appears to involve “sharing” scholarships around all Government Departments to achieve a “fair” result) may need to be reviewed. The need for developing practical technical skills does not seem to be given a high priority in the award of scholarships. Few scholarships are taken up for courses of applied learning at polytechnics: most scholarships appear to be awarded for study at universities. A change is therefore suggested in the way scholarships are allocated. 8.192. It may be necessary, in the national interest, to target a particular priority industry in one year, and to devote the major part of the scholarship funds available to training in that one industry. Some negotiation would be needed to ensure that private sector needs could be met, such as through a system that allocated “tagged” scholarships for suitable people (selected on merit) in order to meet identified needs or priorities for skill development in private industry. 8.193. This suggested change in the way scholarships are allocated also imp lies that more emphasis should be placed on in-country on-job training. A consequence may be that fewer people travel overseas to study. It may be appropriate that more scholarships should be awarded for study in Tonga rather than at overseas universities. Access to distance education in Tonga, and/or subsidised study at a redeveloped Tonga Institute of Higher Education, could be made available to more people as part of the scholarship regime. 8.194. However, appropriate numbers of scholarships will need to be allocated for study overseas in areas, such as medicine, which are not able to be delivered on-line or provided in Tonga. Out-of-country training on scholarships should continue to be made available if the type of training was in the national interest, or was a type of specialist training not available in Tonga itself (such as some types of specialist health training, for instance) and was placed on the national priority list. Lifelong Learning A National Strategy for Lifelong Learning Recommendation 21 8.195. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should ensure that education is supported as a life long process, and that systems allow for second chance and continuing education and training, by establishing a national strategy for lifelong learning, including: • programmes for the promotion of good health, physical fitness and sports; • annual programmes for youth support, opportunities for re-entry to formal schooling by adults and early leavers, support for non-formal educational opportunities, and an adult literacy programme; and • supporting the return to formal learning through USP preliminary and foundation courses and with other education providers. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 104 Implications of Implementing Recommendation 21 8.196. The desired outcome is to meet ongoing learning needs of all young people and adults through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programmes. 8.197. There is concern in Tonga about the number of young people who leave school early (“drop-outs”) or without formal qualifications or employment. Males make up a higher proportion of this group than females, and residents of outer islands a higher proportion than those resident on Tongatapu. In the Budget Statement for the Year Ending June 2003, the Tonga Government expresses concern about rising youth unemployment and the danger of leaving young men and women without income earning opportunities. A tracking study of early school leavers would be useful to determine if this group is a threat to social order and to identify possible routes to productive employment or further study. 8.198. There is little money available for youth programmes. The budget for the Youth Sports and Culture section of the MOE is estimated at T$139,000 in 2002, and a significant proportion of this money is spent on sports. Benefits would accrue from expanding youth-oriented programmes within a national youth policy framework. Within such a framework, specific strategies could be implemented with consistency to prepare youth for self- employment, to provide work readiness skills and recognised bridging programmes to further technical and vocational education and training.17 8.199. The government recognises that education is a life long process with people learning at any age as needs and opportunities arise. However, barriers exist for people who leave school early. A student leaving school because of pregnancy or expelled for inappropriate behaviour is usually unable to return to school. There does not appear to be provision for adults to return to formal schooling. USP Preliminary and Foundation programmes provide opportunities for some to achieve qualifications missed at school. However, pathways back to mainstream education require further consideration. 8.200. Non formal education is taking place through a range of agencies including NGO’s, church and community groups, government agencies (health, agriculture, environment, etc.), and for literacy development. Although there is not a national policy for non-formal education, some non-formal training is provided by the Short Term Training Centre and at CDTC. The MOE recognises that non-formal education has a significant role to play in national education and training provision and seeks to improve links between formal and non-formal education, and the sharing of resources. 17 See Tonga Natural Resource Use and Sustainable Socio-economic Development. Pacific Studies Series. Asian Development Bank 2002. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 105 8.201. Research and development could be undertaken to develop a national strategy for lifelong learning, including: • annual programmes for youth support; • opportunities for re-entry to formal schooling by adults and early leavers; • support for non-formal educational opportunities; and • an adult literacy programme. Community and Continuing Education Opportunities Recommendation 22 8.202. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should ensure education is supported as a life long process by: • exploring opportunities to develop life and work skill modules that can be undertaken in homes and villages using radio and distance learning methods, combined with local mentoring support; and • actively supporting, promoting and expanding existing short-term training providing community and continuing education opportunities, including attachments and short courses outside of Tonga. Implications of Implementing Recommendation 22 8.203. This recommendation aims to co-ordinate, expand and promote community and continuing education short-term training programmes, in line with the priorities identified in the National Human Resource Development Plan, with improved access for outer island and village based communities. 8.204. Equity of opportunity indicates that further efforts need to be made to identify the training needs of women, those not in paid employment and to address adult literacy needs. Development of work and entrepreneurial skills in local communities is indicated as a training need. 8.205. In-country training programmes funded by AusAID and NZAID and coordinated through the Short Term Training Centre are providing largely effective short term training. Recent trends indicate an increase in opportunities for private sector participation; targeting of unemployed youth and rural communities, and increased occurrence of training held in outer islands. These trends are to be encouraged. It is also likely that specific training needs will arise from the Economic and Public Sector Reform, and short-term in-country training may have a role to play to assist in meeting these needs. However, there will continue to be a need for specialised overseas practical attachments in areas of priority, where appropriate experiences cannot be provided in Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 106 Improved Management & Control of Education Rationale 8.206. The Study Team’s assessment is that the Tonga Government should consider making improvements to the existing centralised management and control of education. The objectives of any changes would be improved delivery of education and training, improved student achievement, and improved efficiency and effectiveness of resource use in education. One of Tonga’s main strengths is the stability and continuity of its administration, and any changes proposed would need to be carefully planned and implemented to ensure that the education of the students was not adversely affected. 8.210. The principles that the Study Team believes underpin the proposed changes are set out below. 8.211. Principle 1: Greater devolution of authority should be considered, in order to improve the effective and efficient delivery of education services, to support the role of communities in education, and to strengthen accountability. 8.212. One of the aims of the current Public Sector Reform Programme in Tonga is to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Less centralised decision-making would give those directly affected in specific localities the authority to make immediate decisions where appropriate. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should consider the extent to which the public sector reforms may have implications for the education system. 8.213. More decision-making needs to occur away from the central bureaucracy at an appropriate delegated level. This delegation of authority would develop the management skills and professionalism of those required to make these decisions, and would enable them to be more responsible for the consequences of their decisions. The process of involving families and communities more in education would also have beneficial effects on student achievement. In this way a culture of dependency within the education system would be avoided. 8.214. The Ministry of Education should therefore consider creating a structure that empowers professionalism and responsible decision-making. The outcome sought would be improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of delivery of education services. 8.215. Principle 2: Post-secondary education institutions are encouraged, in the short term, to become self-managing institutions, with the aim of increasing their efficiency and effectiveness, and their accountability to communities. Schools, however, should be encouraged to move gradually to undertake more responsibility for their own management, over time. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 107 8.216. Post-secondary institutions need to be encouraged to take on more responsibility fo r decision-making and to become more autonomous self- managing institutions. While schools should be encouraged to move gradually over time to become more self-managing, it is important to recognise that this process would be a gradual one in the Tongan cultural context. Tonga will need to monitor closely what is being done in neighbouring Pacific countries, and should consider moving towards greater devolution in the schools sector as a longer-term goal. 8.217. The implementation of the principle of self-management in schools needs to be carefully planned, and put into practice as a series of small, manageable and progressive steps that fit the cultural context of Tonga, perhaps over a period of ten or more years. Any proposal to devolve the management of finance also needs to be approached cautiously, and will require considerable prior training and upskilling of personnel before being implemented, either in part or in full. Tonga will need to guard against prematurely lifting practices from developed countries and partners that may not be appropriate in developing Island States. Adoption of this principle would lead, over time, to the development of skills in school communities so that parents might be given a greater role in the governance of schools. 8.218. Principle 3: A strong and effective partnership between Government and Non-Government education systems is desirable. 8.219. There has always been a close partnership between Government and non- Government education providers in Tonga. The Advisory Council for Education established under the Education Act 1974 is a forum for dialogue between the Government and Non-Government systems. The Government of Tonga may wish to consider whether the existing networks and partnerships could be strengthened by negotiating an accord that recognises the contribution made to education in Tonga by the Non-Government providers, particularly the Churches. This accord could recognise the Government’s wider responsibility for national education policy and administration of the system, within the constraints of annual budgets, and at the same time acknowledge the valuable contributions (both financial and otherwise) made by the Non-Government systems. It is acknowledged that the development of a formal accord, such as a Memorandum of Understand ing between partners, might lead to an undesirable culture of legalism. Nevertheless, the Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education might wish to consider whether there would be some merit in developing and documenting understandings in an informal way, so that the responsibilities of the respective partners are clear, and so that the interests of students are protected. 8.220. Principle 4: The greater involvement of communities (including parents) in education will lead to improved educational achievement. 8.221. The Ministry of Education places a high value on the contribution of parents to schools, and the good working relationships between schools, parents and Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 108 people in local communities. The Study Team has noted that Parent Teacher Associations make a positive and constructive contribution to the work of schools. While families in Tonga support their schools through fund raising, they appear to be less able to participate in the work of the school that supports learning. The findings of research18 demonstrate that children are more likely to achieve better educational outcomes in an environment where educational expectations are shared by both family and school. 8.222. Principle 5: The Government of Tonga should maintain its national network of schooling provision, but should review its operation based on principles of access, efficiency and effectiveness. 8.223. It is important to examine whether the current network of schooling provision that has been put in place in Tonga in the past, and which provides access to a school on every inhabited island in Tonga, within a walking distance of two miles, for children of compulsory school age, is still appropriate in each case, given changing circumstances and the mobility of the population. The principles of access, efficiency and effectiveness should underpin any review of current schooling provision. 8.224. Principle 6: Any changes to the existing Education Act would need to be broadly enabling, and any new legislation should set out the key foundations of agreed policies. 8.225. Some changes to the Education Act 1974 may be required in the light of changing circumstances and the implications of this Report. The Government of Tonga may wish to consider further changes to legislation if proposed changes to education policy practice need a legislative basis that is not provided by the Education Act 1974. Recommendation 23 8.226. The Ministry of Education should develop a national Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (based on the document accompanying this Report) which: • bears a clear relationship to the National Strategic Development Plan and the current Government reform exercise; • sets out goals and objectives for education in Tonga; • aims to increase effectiveness and efficiency; • plans for progressive improvements to the education system over the medium term; • allows the Ministry of Education to undertake responsibility for policy oversight of the whole education system through the development of national guidelines; • fosters improved networks and partnerships between the Government and non-Government sectors; 18 See The Creation of Market Competition for Education in New Zealand. An Empirical Analysis of a New Zealand Secondary School Market, Lauder, Hughes, Waslander, Thrupp, McGlinn, Newtown & Dupuis., 1994. The Smithfield Project: Phase One, Wellington. Victoria University of Wellington, 1990, 1993. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 109 • considers where devolution of more responsibility to schools and their communities would be in the national interest, and how any appropriate changes might be managed progressively over time; • reviews the current national network of schooling provision; and • moves progressively to reform the national distribution of funds for education where such reform is in the national interest. Implications of Recommendation 23 8.227. A coordinated national education system in Tonga should be developed, and the basis of the proposed system should be set out in a national Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. The draft document that accompanies this report [the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013)] provides an initial basis for planning ahead. This plan needs to be linked to the National Strategic Development Plan and the current Government reform exercise. The principles outlined above should form the basis of the Strategic Plan for Education. 8.228. Progressive improvements to the education system over the medium term should be considered for introduction. A co-ordinated national education system should foster partnerships between the Government and non- Government sectors (as an example, the Government could subsidise operational costs, while the Churches could provide the facilities). The Government of Tonga will need to consider whether devolution of more responsibility to schools and their communities would be in the national interest, and how any appropriate changes might be managed over time. 8.229. National guidelines should be developed for all schools in the Kingdom (e.g. on curriculum, or on examinations) with opportunity for innovation within the guidelines. The post-secondary sector should be developed within a coordinated framework. Government needs to support and encourage early childhood education provision and special education provision for those students who are currently not catered for by existing policies. It needs to accept responsibility for the education of all students in the compulsory education sector, including “drop-outs” and early school leavers. 8.230. About 23% of secondary schools are Government schools, while 77% of secondary schools are run independently, mainly by the Churches. The independent Church schools make a significant contribution to education in Tonga, but receive limited Government funding, and are therefore in most cases reliant on school fees and Church support, as well as the current Government subsidy of T$100 per student, to continue an effective operation. Many of these schools face financial pressures. 8.231. Concessions will be needed by all partners to develop an agreed and effective working Strategic Plan for Education that is in the country’s national interest. It is implied that reform of the nationa l distribution of funds for education would be required to achieve an effective working partnership model. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 110 8.232. An initial step would be to investigate how Government could undertake responsibility for funding education provision in the compulsory sector at Years 7 & 8 (Forms 1 & 2) levels. This step is consistent with the recommendation elsewhere in this Report to widen the application of the principle of universal basic education to include provision for supporting the education of all Year 7 & 8 (Forms 1 & 2) students. An implication is that the scope of primary education would be extended to cover Year 1 to Year 8 students (new entrants to Form 2), and secondary education would in future cover Years 9 to 13 (Forms 3 to 7). 8.233. The funding implications of the proposal that the Government fund the salaries of all teachers at Years 7 & 8 (Forms 1 and 2) levels have been discussed earlier, in the section dealing with universal basic education. 8.234. Any proposals for change would need to be carefully evaluated by the Government to ensure that they were in the national interest. Options include, as an interim measure, the development of a subsidy funding policy that would ensure increased funding for teacher salaries for teachers of all students (in Non-Government as well as Government schools) up to Year 8 (Form 2) level, in order to recognise the Government’s responsibilities for education of students who fall into the 11 to 13 age range in the compulsory education sector. Another possibility is to investigate the extent to which a free, compulsory and secular education at Years 7 & 8 (Forms 1 & 2) levels could be delivered in Church schools in return for Government assistance with funding, while still recognising the special character of Church schools. 8.235. A clear policy to reflect the contribution made by all the education sectors, including the Churches, should be articulated and implemented. In the development of education policy on funding, an appropriate balance needs to be struck between the proportion spent on salaries and that devoted to operations. Trade-offs will be required to develop a policy that recognises the Government’s wider national responsibility for education, the valuable contribution made to education by all non- Government education sectors, and at the same time recognises the funding limitations the Government faces in managing its budget. 8.236. The Study Team’s view is that it is important that work should be done to help all families in the Kingdom understand the contribution they can make to supporting children’s learning, particularly in the fields of literacy and numeracy, and that they become involved with their local schools in doing so. Achieving family engagement in schools is probably best achieved through face-to-face school-community “outreach” programmes, although it is acknowledged that such initiatives are very resource intensive and it may take some years to demonstrate positive results. 8.237. Close family interest in the learning of children will have positive effects on their achievement. It is also true that if school communities take a Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 111 close interest in the outcomes of schooling, schools will experience some pressure to review their practices and are likely to take steps to improve their performance. Provided procedures are in place to assist teachers to improve (through constructive performance appraisal systems, or though advisory support, for instance) school-community partnerships of this sort should be encouraged. 8.238. It would be relatively inexpensive to put in place a campaign that would introduce to communities ways in which home and family interactions could support children’s learning. Such an initiative would be a useful first step in forging closer links between home and school. 8.239. A limited public relations campaign, using newspapers, television and supported by follow-up work by Ministry officers and teachers in schools, with the objective of fostering community involvement and family participation in education, could be implemented for an estimated cost of $10,000. 8.240. The current national network of schooling provision in Tonga has a number of undoubted strengths. It is commendable that Tonga makes strenuous efforts to ensure that every child, even on small and isolated islands, should receive schooling close to his or her home. But there is a financial cost to the provision of schools in remote areas. One of the consequences of allocating scarce resources to small and uneconomic schools is that the overall quality of education provision in the Kingdom may be affected adversely. At the other end of the scale, some urban primary schools (such as Nuku’alofa Government Primary School) are at present overcrowded. 8.241. The current national network of schooling provision should be reviewed, with a view to improving effectiveness and efficiency in the use of scarce resources for education. The Ministry of Education is aware of those areas in the Kingdom where schools are too small and uneconomic, or where staffing should be rationalised or reduced as a result of falling school rolls. Similarly, the Ministry knows which schools are overcrowded. 8.242. An examination of school rolls and the teacher and student numbers at individual schools by the Study Team revealed quite wide variations in teacher-student ratios. There appears to be considerable scope for rationalisation and a better (and fairer) distribution of resources. It appeared to the Study Team that there is scope for the development and implementation of a clear policy on school staffing entitlements. Measures need to be introduced to reduce overcrowding where it occurs. There may be a need to investigate the possibility of school mergers to ensure that there is a more efficient use of resources. Other options to deal with these issues include examining whether a system of zoning for Government primary schools could be developed and implemented in order to manage school enrolments, or alternatively, negotiating complementary arrangements with Church schools to ensure effective use of limited education resources. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 112 8.243. The object of such work would be to initiate a process of community engagement to identify the most effective site solution, with a view to improving the overall quality of education provision. While it may be logical to merge schools for reasons of economies of scale or the most effective use of scarce resources, the emotional attachment of communities to schools must also be dealt with. It may be useful to consider providing incentives where school mergers seem possible or desirable (such as reinvestment of savings on an identified site for a period of time, or using savings for purchase of supporting learning resources such as computers). 8.244. There will be some situations where it may not be sensible to consider closing or merging small schools, owing to reasons of transport, particularly on some of the Outer Islands. There do, however, appear to be some situations where rationalisation appears possible. Communities and the Ministry of Education will be able to identify these. A process needs to be put in place to deal with these situations. 8.245. The proposed process involves the establishment of Education Development Working Parties and the determination of criteria to be applied, in order to review the current network of schooling provision (including maintaining access to and quality of educational provision, the implementation of the Government/Church education system partnerships, and ensuring overall cost effectiveness and efficient use of resources). 8.246. Most of the cost implications of this process could be met from within the existing resources of the Ministry of Education by redesignating existing Ministry of Education officers to this project and/or by reprioritising their current work. An additional sum for travel of $20,000 would be required to fund travel and per diems for officers involved in doing the work in the Outer Islands. The funds could be found either by reprioritising within the Ministry of Education budget, or by an additional appropriation in the annual budget for Vote Education. Recommendation 24 8.247. The Government of Tonga, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, should consider restructuring the administration and management of the Ministry of Education in order to strengthen its policy development role, its administrative structure, and its capacity to deliver education more effectively. Implications of Recommendation 24 8.248. There is a need to strengthen the policy development and policy analysis roles of the central bureaucracy of the Ministry of Education, in order to increase its efficiency. The Government of Tonga, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, may wish to consider restructuring of the Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 113 administration and management of the Ministry of Education to strengthen its capacity to focus on developing and implementing education policy, to support its capacity to deliver education more effectively, and to assist it in providing resources to implement education policy. It would be helpful if the Ministry of Education could develop an operational policy framework to ensure that the implementation of education policy is informed by policy principles. 8.249. The Ministry of Education also needs to strengthen its capability by improvements in management, financial management, information management and analysis, and forecasting and planning. Its administrative structure needs to be adjusted to meet these national requirements. 8.250. The Ministry of Education is subject to a Government directive that requires orders to be signed by level 2 personnel (at the level of Deputy Directors). Where there are no level 2 personnel available, Ministries will authorise senior employees to undertake these centralised functions. For instance, on some Outer Islands, Principals may be delegated decision- making authority by the Ministry of Education. The Study Team has observed that individuals in the education system refer decisions to higher authority that should be decided at a lower level (an example is approval for leave for Ministry officers). There is, in the view of the Study Team, insufficient delegation of authority overall. Similarly, expenditure is also generally controlled from the centre. Greater transparency of and accountability for finances should be encouraged. Staff involved in undertaking these increased financial responsibilities will need to receive training for these tasks. 8.251. The Study Team has examined the arrangements for staffing schools and the administrative positions in the central Ministry of Education in Tonga. Staffing is managed centrally in Tonga. The current centralised system of staffing has grown out of the need to ensure balanced staffing of schools throughout the entire Kingdom, including those schools in the Outer Islands. This need is an important cultural imperative for Tonga that is acknowledged. The only positions that are “reserved” are those for returning scholars who were given a Ministry of Education scholarship. Not all positions are advertised, although some are. Principals are also instrumental in negotiating teachers for their schools. Principals and Heads of Ministry of Education Divisions come together and undertake an annual staffing allocation exercise, chaired by a Deputy Director. Prior to that exercise, the Principal and the Senior Lecturers assess their staffing needs having regard to the needs of the school, and send recommendations to the central office of the Ministry of Education to be discussed as part of the central staffing allocation exercise. 8.252. It would nevertheless be fair to say it is the Study Team’s judgment that appointments to posts in the central bureaucracy and to teaching positions are generally determined centrally by the Ministry of Education, and approved by the Minister. Nor does the current system of appointments to Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 114 teaching positions in Government schools draw on the full pool of possible teachers in the Kingdom, but generally only those employed by the Ministry of Education are appointed to teaching positions in Government schools. Communities have little say in the appointment of Principals. Although Principals in Government schools may indicate whom they wish to have on their staff, they do not finally decide who is appointed. 8.253. The Study Team’s view is that there would be advantages such as improved efficiency and effectiveness if the Ministry of Education were to consider whether a more open and flexible system of appointments might be developed over time, having regard to Tonga’s cultural and geographic needs, the necessity for staffing all schools appropriately, and the need to give reasonable consideration to an individual teachers’ choice of place of employment and prospects for career advancement. 8.254. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should therefore consider some further reform to existing staffing arrangements. It may wish to consider adopting an appropriate decentralised staffing policy that might better meet the requirements of schools and other sectors of the education system. For instance, appointments to teaching positions in schools or posts in the central Ministry of Education should be opened up to people outside the Government list by advertising the jobs. This process would require the development of clear job descriptions and person specifications, a sound process of application for jobs including open advertising, and selection and appointment of the candidate best suited to the job. It is acknowledged that, to a degree, this process is beginning to happen already. For instance, the Study Team noted that the positions of Deputy Director of the Short Term Training Centre and Deputy Director of Sports were advertised towards the end of 2002. This movement is commended. 8.255. Clear written policy guidelines for devolution of central responsibility on issues such as staffing, funding, and assessment need to be written and developed. Determining the nature of these policy guidelines, and promulgating them, is a Ministry of Education responsibility. 8.256. It is acknowledged that there is a tension between the social, cultural and political context of Tonga, the need to ensure that scarce resources are well managed, and the recommendations in this Report that encourage decentralisation and delegation of decision-making. The Study Team acknowledges that the Government must consider the national interest of Tonga before making any decisions to proceed with significant education reforms. The timing and nature of any proposed changes to the education system is a matter that should be the subject of further consultation with stakeholders in Tonga. Further discussion with stakeholders on the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013) could enable this consultation to occur in a measured way. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 115 8.257. In recognition of this tension, any moves in the directions signalled in this Report need to be made carefully and gradually by the Government of Tonga, in the knowledge of the Tongan cultural context, and must be well planned. Prior training of personnel (especially Principals) must also be undertaken before the proposed changes are implemented, so that an adequate skill base of competent and committed people is available to give effect to the proposed changes. 8.258. During the course of this study it became apparent to the Study Team that the lack of specialisation within the MOE is a contributing cause to some of the difficulties identified. It is difficult in a relatively small education system such as Tonga’s to balance the need for specialist education professionals in areas such as curriculum development or examinations, or even in specialist secondary school teaching positions, with the flexibility necessary if scarce expertise is to be deployed across the education system. There is a cost that has to be acknowledged in maintaining specialist positions, and these costs are more difficult to sustain in a smaller country with limited resources. 8.259. However, if people in the system are to keep reasonably abreast of developments overseas they need to specialise to a degree, and people need to be identified to take some responsibility for specific areas (such as literacy, for instance). The restructuring of the Ministry of Education will need to address the se issues, and make trade-offs where necessary. A significant focus in any restructuring of the Ministry of Education will be the need to focus on capacity development and the retraining of personnel to develop (or further develop) the new skills required, such as policy analysis skills, forecasting skills, information management skills, curriculum development and learning resource development skills, property management skills, or planning skills. 8.260. The Study Team believes that some specialist needs can be met by contracting consultancy assistance on a short-term basis where the specialist skills are not available in the Ministry of Education. In other cases existing positions in the Ministry of Education may need to be redesignated, and personnel retrained, in order to develop the skills required. 8.261. There will be cost implications if the Government of Tonga decides to proceed with any restructuring of the Ministry of Education. These costs will need to be determined. Most of the costs could be met from the existing resources either of the Ministry of Education or agencies such as the Reform Secretariat of the Public Sector Reform Programme. There may be a need to engage consultancy services in the initial phases of the reform in order to advise on any proposed new administrative structure for the Ministry of Education, and to assist in implementing any planned changes such as strengthening its policy development role. The estimated cost for this preliminary work is estimated at $35,000. The amount required for any further work beyond this initial phase would depend Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 116 upon the extent and nature of any proposed restructuring, and cannot be assessed with any accuracy at this stage. 8.262. The Ministry’s capacity to deliver education more effectively would be enhanced by the development of a more effective management information system. The cost of an initial feasibility and investigative study (using consultancy services) for the development of an improved education information management system is estimated at $30,000. The cost of purchase or design of either a ready-made or a new information management system has not been quantified. Recommendation 25 8.263. The Ministry of Education should develop a National Strategic Plan for school property development and investment as part of the overall national Strategic Plan for Education. Implications of Recommendation 25 8.264. A principled and planned approach to school property management and development is required. The management of the education property portfolio by the Ministry of Education needs to be strengthened. This strengthening could be accomplished by a number of measures, including the development of a co-ordinated national strategic plan for school property development and investment. 8.265. There is a need for an overall strategy about where new schools are required (if any), and about how existing schools should be maintained in good repair. Decisions about the construction or siting of new schools need to be made on a considered and principled basis. A carefully thought-out policy and strategic property plan will consider all the implications and the flow-on impact of school property decisions. The property plan may need to include proposals for relocation of schools where appropriate. Timing and affordability are aspects that will be determined as the plan is developed. 8.266. Many schools require extensive maintenance, as funds for maintenance are very limited and the responsibility for upkeep of schools falls on teachers and parents. Funding will need to be identified within the Education Vote for ongoing and “catch-up” property maintenance, and an order of priority for necessary work over a period of several years established, so that the system can “catch up” on maintenance that has not been attended to (largely, it is conceded, because of lack of funds.) 8.267. An accurate assessment of the total dollar value of all school property was not available to the Study Team. The equity invested in school property throughout Tonga is considerable, and must amount to millions of dollars. This investment needs to be managed wisely. A sound database of school and post-school property, such as a central register of all Government education property holdings and equipment in Tonga, needs to be Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 117 established as a first step. The maintenance needs of all schools should be examined as part of this exercise. 8.268. The administrative costs of establishing a National Strategic Education Property Plan can be met by the Ministry of Education from within existing resources. The major cost would be (initially) the salary of one or two officers who would undertake national property management responsibilities. This salary (or salaries) could be funded by a redesignation of an existing position or positions as part of the restructuring of the Ministry of Education, and by strengthening and developing the human and other resources currently devoted to this role. 8.269. There will be significant and ongoing costs in funding and managing the “catch-up” maintenance required for school and post-school institution property. This amount cannot be quantified until the detailed investigation and analytical work has been done as part of the development of the National Strategic Education Property Plan. Priority setting will be required to spread the amount of maintenance required over a period of several years, as it is unlikely that the Government of Tonga will be able to allocate sufficient funds to complete all the work required in one calendar year. Determining the total amount of the property maintenance fund, and how much will be available annually, will be a matter for the Government of Tonga to determine as part of its annual budgetary process, once specific recommendations have been made to it by the Ministry of Education. It is acknowledged that the primary and secondary school sectors each receive an annual maintenance allocation, but the resources allocated are inadequate to meet the needs identified by the Study Team. The Government of Tonga will need to consider whether it can reprioritise existing education expenditure, or appropriate an increased annual allocation of funds in the Education Budget for this purpose. 8.270. No specific amount has been identified for new capital works. Cost implications of new capital works would need to be identified as part of the process of developing the National Strategic Education Property Plan, and an order of priority for new education property development projects determined on the basis of explicit criteria set out in the plan. The prime responsibility for determining how any new projects are funded would rest with the Government of Tonga, and the priority for investing in new education property development would need to be assessed against other Government priorities as part of trade-offs required to determine the annual budget. 8.271. There may be specific education development projects (such as the building of new schools or tertiary institutions, or the relocation or renovation of existing schools) that could be discussed with donors who may be willing to assist. There has been considerable support in the past for building of schools and other education projects in Tonga by overseas aid donors. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 118 Longer-term Strategy for Schools Development 8.272. The Study Team talked to Principals of some Church secondary schools in Tonga that had moved to adopt a more self-managing style of operation. It seemed to the Study Team that there was scope for further development of these approaches elsewhere in Tonga. Those Non- Government Principals involved in their more devolved system could provide advice and support to those participating in any future trial. In the longer term, the Ministry of Education may wish to consider initiating a trial of a more devolved system of education, based on the establishment of Boards of Trustees for individual schools, more autonomy for school Principals, and increased responsibility for school management of staffing and resources. 8.273. The Study Team noted that the proportion of funds spent on salaries is high relative to the proportion of funds spent on operating expenses of schools (about 90% of the funds in the primary sector are spent on salaries). A consequence is that the amount of operating funds available to schools is limited, schools have difficulty managing their operations with a restricted budget, and must instead turn to the central bureaucracy to provide resources for what many Principals consider are essential items, or to local communities for financial assistance with necessary operations such as payment for utilities (power and water) or maintenance of school property. The Study Team acknowledges that managing the tension between central Government and local communities in a climate of scarce resources for education is never easy, and that the evidence of partnerships between the Government and communities, and the support by local communities for their schools are commendable features of the Tonga education landscape. 8.274. Progressive moves within the Government sector towards increased school-based management and shared community responsibility would have the potential to lead to more efficient management of scarce resources. A trial scheme would be one way of finding out more, in a controlled environment, about the implications of delegating decision- making, and testing whether and how such a system could work. Any trial would, of course, need to be evaluated carefully. 8.275. The Ministry of Education has noted that the relatively high proportion of the Education Budget spent on salaries compared to the amount spent on operations and resources is not altogether due to the structure and administration of education. The fact is that Tonga does not have enough money to fund everything that the country needs to maintain its education system. The policy that has been followed is to invest the little money available in teachers as a matter of priority. Tonga also hopes that donors would consider assisting the operations of all schools in the country. The Study Team acknowledges the resource constraints facing the Government of Tonga, and agrees that giving high priority to provision of effective teachers as the fundamental basis of a well-performing education system is essential. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 119 8.276. The Ministry of Education has informed the Study Team that it is empowered under the present Education Act to allow schools to be managed in the way outlined above. This system is being implemented in the Catholic school system in Tonga as this school system sees the need for such a form of school management. 8.277. Management of schools needs to be strengthened across the education system. In this respect the leadership of the Principal is a key factor. Principals need to be able to exercise increased professional leadership. The programme of leadership training for school principals implemented under the TISP project needs to be extended and further developed, in order to develop their professionalism. The Ministry of Education needs to consider whether delegation of further authority to Principals, by enabling them to exercise more autonomy, would improve the delivery of education. There should be a continued emphasis in professional development programmes on fostering school-based management practices as a means of moving gradually towards the directions for reform outlined in this Report. 8.278. Tertiary (post-secondary) institutions need to be given more autonomy in order to protect academic freedom and to ensure the efficient and effective use of resources. Legislative change would be needed to establish formally a Governing Body (or bodies) that would undertake responsibility for governance of post-secondary institutions. The functions of the Governing Body (or bodies) should be clearly set out in legislation. Recommendation 26 8.279. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should review the Education Act 1974, and amend it if necessary, in order to take into account any changes adopted by the Government that arise from the Tonga Education Sector Study and the development of the Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. Implications of Recommendation 26 8.280. The current Education Act was enacted in 1974. Since the enactment of this legislation, only a few minor amendments have been made. 8.281. A consultancy undertaken in Tonga by Judi Ewings was completed in August 1999. The purpose of the consultancy was to review current regulations, to draw up regulations to govern staff and students consistent with the Education Act 1974, and to undertake any other responsibilities deemed necessary. The regulations were to cover the following areas: primary; secondary; post-secondary; technical and vocational; curriculum development; evaluation and quality control. Her work should now be reviewed in the light of Principle 6. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 120 8.282. The proposed new regulations 19 based on the relevant empowering provision of the Education Act 1974 should be gazetted once they have been approved by the Privy Council. These Education (Schools and General Provisions) Regulations 2001 should be promulgated widely by the Ministry of Education once the appropriate approval has been given. 8.283. There were also some draft regulations on curriculum and assessment developed by Judi Ewings, and some proposed legislation drafted (with associated regulations) in order to establish the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board. Further work is required in order to give legal effect to the remaining draft Regulations 20 that were proposed but have not been approved and gazetted. This work includes completion and submission of the draft Curriculum and Examinations Regulations, and completion and submission of the draft Scholarships Regulations. 8.284. Ongoing work has occurred to establish legislation for a Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board. The establishment of this Board requires legislative authority, but as yet no legislation has been passed. The legislation has been submitted to the Crown Law Office for final drafting, and the Study Team understands that it is now ready to return to Parliament for further consideration. There are also associated draft regulations (the draft Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board Regulations) that would need to be completed and submitted once the relevant legislation has been passed. 8.285. The Study Team supports the passage of this proposed legislation, and also, as an interim step, supports the completion and submission for approval and gazetting of the remaining proposed Regulations, as outlined above. 8.286. Over a period of years the Ministry of Education has developed and implemented initiatives to support and improve the quality of education. Examples include the determination of new salary scales for teachers, and the increase in subsidy for Church schools. There will, nevertheless, be a need to develop and implement additional policies if new priorities are approved by the Government of Tonga as a result of this Tonga Education Sector Study. The implementation of any new priorities by the Ministry of Education will be very difficult without an adequate legal basis. 8.287. In the light of the findings of this Tonga Education Sector Study, it may be timely for the Government of Tonga to consider if it is necessary to review the Education Act 1974, with a view to assessing whether that legislation and the associated regulations create the environment necessary to promote effective educational development in Tonga. The Study Team’s preliminary view is that a more enabling Education Act would foster improved educational achievement and better economic 19 Education (Schools and General Provisions) Regulations. 20 Education Regulations (Curriculum and Examinations); Education Regulations (Scholarships); proposed Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board Regulations (following the passage of the proposed Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board Act). Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 121 performance in Tonga, and would promote more effective and efficient use of education resources. The Ministry of Education notes that the current Education Act is working for Tonga, although the Act may need some amendments. Under these circumstances, any review of the Education Act 1974 may be a project that should be undertaken in the medium to longer term, rather than immediately. 8.288. The cost implications of a review of the Education Act 1974, if conducted by means of a consultancy engagement, are estimated at $50,000. Other Cross-cutting Issues Gender 8.289. Principle 1: That children, irrespective of gender, have equal opportunities in their access to all levels of education in Tonga. 8.290. There appear to be few obvious gender biases in schools in Tonga. The enrolment in Years 1 to 5 (Classes 1 to 5) averages 51.7% boys, which probably mirrors the birth difference. There are, however, examples of biases within the education system, and some are detailed below: • At Year 6 (Class 6) boys comprise some 55% of the enrolment. This anomalous situation possibly reflects the lower achievement of boys at this level evidenced by the fact that girls make up 55% of the enrolment at Tonga High School, which has the highest entry scores from the SEE. The lower achievement of boys in the SEE is reflected in the number of boys repeating Year 6 in the hope of improving their score sufficiently to enable them to gain entry to government high schools. • The possibility exists that the SEE, as a selection mechanism, discriminates unfairly against boys in that at Year 6 (Class 6) girls are more mature than boys and that, as the examination is concentrated on skills in expression (three papers out of four), girls may be advantaged. If selection were to be maintained there may be a case for delaying the selection until the end of Year 8 (Form 2) when these differences may be less pronounced. This issue is covered in the recommendations concerning assessment (See Recommendation 6). • Girls are disadvantaged at entry into government secondary schools because of the existence of Tonga College as a single sex boy’s school. This effectively increases markedly the chances of boys receiving a government funded secondary education, particularly on Tongatapu. However, girls’ participation in secondary education over all systems is close to 50% of total participation. • In general, choice of subjects in secondary schools is affected by gender, as boys do not usually enrol in Home Economics classes or girls in Industrial Arts. Thus, choice within subjects may be stereotypically gendered. However, at some schools the range of subjects may preclude active choice. At Queen Salote College (girls only), for instance, TSC Biology is offered, but Physics and Chemistry are not, and neither is Industrial Arts. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 122 8.291. Principle 2: Ongoing learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programmes. 8.292. There is a need to review rules and practices about treatment of students who become pregnant while at school, and those with children, to ensure they are not discriminated against in accessing education. The recommendations concerning lifelong learning address this issue. 8.293. Principle 3: The government recognises that education is a life long process with people learning at any age, and that specific efforts need to be made to identify and support the training needs of women. 8.294. Non-formal In-Country Training programmes organised through the Short Term Training Centre (previously the Civil Service Training Centre) are not meeting targets of 50% participation of women. This is partly due to the process used for identifying needs, which largely relies on training requests from organisations or in response to advertisements. This method favours Government departments and larger businesses where employment of men predominates. NGOs and women’s groups have less capacity to identify training needs and become the counterpart organisation for training. If training needs rely on requests, then some sectors and groups may not be represented. Greater and specific efforts need to be made to identify training needs of women if they are to have equitable access to short term training. Women’ s issues should be given special consideration in implementing the recommendations concerning lifelong learning. 8.295. Until recently, there appeared to be gender discrimination against women in the award of scholarships for overseas study. More recently, donors working with the Scholarship Committee have redressed the balance, by ensuring that, through allocation of scholarships on merit, women are given equal opportunities to gain awards. Recommendation 27 8.296. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should require providers of post-compulsory education and training to develop institutional gender policies in line with a commitment to gender equity. 8.297. It is difficult to draw strong conclusions about gender participation in formal post-secondary education. Enrolments of women at TIOE have traditionally been higher (over 60%) than enrolment of men, but in the 2001 and 2002 intakes the differential is diminishing. In traditionally female vocations (e.g. nursing) enrolments are predominantly women with only two men currently enrolled. Procedures for the selection of men for the Diploma of Nursing programme at the School of Nursing may need to be examined. At TIST a very small number of women students are now enrolled, but, as would be expected, in both Maritime and Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 123 Technical divisions male enrolments predominate. Women constitute over 50% of enrolments in Accounting and Information Technology programmes at CDTC and DECC and dominate enrolments in the Tourism programme, while men dominate enrolments in the Agriculture programmes. Enrolment data for non-government formal post-secondary education was not readily available. 8.298. There is a need for government to look at vocational technical training providers and analyse data on enrolment and completion rates for men and women to systematically evaluate and monitor participation of women in education and training, and to encourage providers to develop institutional gender policies in line with a commitment to gender equity. Distance Education and Use of Technology 8.299. The rapid growth of information and communications technology (ICT) and its increasing importance to social and economic development has profound implications for education in Tonga. These implications include both how ICT can be used to strengthen education, and how education can be used to promote the growth and application of ICT. 8.300. Principle 1: ICT can be used to enhance access to tertiary education for the people of Tonga. 8.301. Tonga has embraced new technologies and rapidly moved to use a range of technologies to access learning opportunities. The technology and services used include digital and satellite technology, widespread use of computers and e-mail, the mass media (television, radio and print media), and the telephone. The establishment of the new Information Technology Centre at the Tonga Institute of Higher Education is an illustration of Tonga’s recognition that the information technology revolution requires changes in the way knowledge is acquired and transmitted. The use of new technology is also evident at USP, and at the Royal School of Science. Both on-line and video-conferencing facilities have been developed and are supported technically. Articulation agreements with international institutions are supported by these means and provide a cost effective way to access recognised international qualifications for students in Tonga. Consideration must now be given to supporting access to education and training by these means through grants and scholarships as a viable and cost-effective alternative to sending students offshore. 8.302. These services have largely been restricted to enhancing post-secondary learning opportunities, partly because adults have more highly developed skills and more intrinsic motivation to access learning in these ways. There is scope for examining whether distance education and the use of technology can also enhance learning opportunities for school students in Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 124 8.303. Principle 2: ICT and Distance Education can be used to reduce the effects of isolation experienced by school students and teachers in remote locations. 8.304. The isolation of some schools in Tonga, particularly those on some Outer Islands, means that students in these localities have limited opportunity to experience a range of quality learning experiences. In other countries, including some in the Pacific, distance education has been a technique used to extend and supplement the range of teaching and learning experiences available to students, either where the student and the teacher are remote from each other, or where both teacher and student are geographically distant from larger centres of population. 8.305. Distance education technologies (whether paper-based through the postal system, or through radio, television, satellite, the world-wide-web or E- mail) provide support and add value to a direct teacher/learner interaction through provision of variety or a greater range of experiences, although they cannot replace the presence of a teacher. The constraints on the range of learning opportunities that arise from small size and geographic isolation can be alleviated to some extent by use of ICT, provided that a good teacher is available locally to provide students with direction and to help with understanding. Issues of cost effectiveness and infrastructure availability, however, effectively inhibit at this stage the development on the Outer Islands of technologies such as central video-conferencing facilities, E-mail, or even (in remote locations) more extensive use of the telephone. 8.306. Radio broadcasts, however, are a regular and valued component of education delivery in Tonga. There is potential that radio be more extensively used to deliver education to students in remote locations. It is possible that more cost effective delivery of education in the future may involve the development of correspondence learning materials supplemented by radio broadcasts. A correspondence programme, extending current use of radio and introducing other appropriate media, for formal schooling is a possible way to overcome both specialist teacher shortages and difficulties of access to schooling in some outer island locations. 8.307. Principle 3: Distributed learning methodologies may support improvements in the quality of life of individuals and communities. 8.308. Delivery models for providing life, work, literacy and self employment skills to women, adults and unemployed youth in their homes and villages, using distance education and local mentors, are proving very successful in New Zealand. Investigation of a similar programme and strategy for Tonga is recommended. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 125 Donor Assistance 8.309. Australia and New Zealand have provided the bulk of donor assistance in education to Tonga in the past, although Germany, Japan and China have provided assistance with major infrastructure for education. Ha’apai High School, which opened in 2001, was built with funds donated by China, and Vava’u High School was built using Japanese funding. Germany funded the establishment of technical training facilities at the then Tonga Maritime Polytechnic Institute. These donors and others (e.g. Canada, Tahiti) have also assisted with smaller scale infrastructure, such as primary schools, through a number of programmes. 8.310. The European Union continues to provide assistance to Tonga in the areas of infrastructure, mainly roads and agriculture, and concentrated on Vava’u. Small amounts of funding to support Industrial Arts and Home Economics have been made available to schools on Vava’u. The EU country office will be closed at the end of this year and the program will be managed out of the Fiji office. However, it is unlikely that the focus of the programme will allow for any significant funding to be directed towards education. 8.311. The focus of attention of Japan’s aid program is believed likely to contribute to be on infrastructure. 8.312. A number of volunteers from the various donor countries are working in the education sector in a range of teaching and other roles. Indeed, some of the programs emphasising practical skills in the church secondary schools seem to be dependent upon volunteers. 8.313. Over the past twenty years New Zealand and Australia have provided assistance with institutional strengthening and capacity building in education in the areas of scholarships, in-country training, short term training overseas, curriculum, teaching and learning, assessment, technical and vocational education and management. 8.314. The current New Zealand budget allocation in 2002/2003 for aid to Tonga is approximately NZ$5.6m. Of this figure, $2.2m is allocated to education assistance. New Zealand and Tonga jointly conducted a review of New Zealand assistance to Tonga in education and other fields21. In the next four to five years the focus for education and training will be an emphasis on improving the quality of formal education outcomes and on vocational and technical training. Key components include: continued support for education sector institutional strengthening; a new focus on vocational and technical education and training, through strengthening existing institutions and programmes; a greater focus on non-formal training and education, building on existing in-country training activities and linked to 21 New Zealand Official Development Assistance NZODA:Tonga Programme Strategy Study, March 2001. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 126 the Outer Island programmes and the Community Development Fund; and a limited number of scholarships for tertiary study. 8.315. Australian aid funds (approx $9m per annum, with approximately $1.6m devoted to education) have previously been used to support the education sector. However, the focus for support for the medium term has shifted to improving governance within the three areas of: strengthening the Government’s capacity to manage financial and economic development; stimulating economic productivity; and improving standards of living of at-risk groups. It is unlikely that significant funding for education, other than support for scholarships and in-country training, will be available. Training programs may occur which are incidental to the governance focus outlined above. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 127 9. Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga 9.1. A strategic plan for education, in essence, should be proactive in describing what the future might look like. A process needs to underpin any strategic planning document, whereby the managers of education in the country, in consultation with key stakeholders, set out a vision for the future of education and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future, taking into account the resources available and external factors. The vision of the future should be developed in such a way as to provide both a signpost and the means of transport to move the sector towards its goals. 9.2. This Report is accompanied by a companion document, the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013), which describes (in a preliminary draft form) the kind of future that might be appropriate for education in Tonga. The draft also meets the requirements stipulated in the terms of reference for the Study Team (that is, to negotiate and develop a strategic plan for education and training in Tonga, and to identify processes for its implementation). This draft Strategic Plan includes a detailed Change Management and Implementation Plan, although it is recognised by the Study Team that the Government of Tonga will need to study these detailed proposals, and may wish to make some adjustments. 9.3. This Report recommends a number of major education reforms, which are built into the draft Strategic Plan in terms of specific goals, objectives and outputs. Implementation of all these reforms will not be possible over a five year period, as the Ministry of Education at the present time will need to be strengthened by a programme of capacity development in order to implement everything that might be desirable in the short term. A reasonably extensive period of planning and capacity building will therefore be required before implementation should be envisaged. This period of planning has been built into the proposed timeline (a ten year period is proposed), although there are ongoing activities that should proceed in parallel to the planning process. 9.4. A key issue for the Government of Tonga to determine is the degree of change in the education system that should be supported, given the cultural context of Tonga, what timescale is appropriate for these changes, and how the agreed timescale should be managed. The Study Team has identified what it believes are the highest priorities that could feasibly be achieved in the first five years, and what should be attempted in the next five year period. The draft Strategic Plan has therefore been designed to be implemented over the medium to long term (ten years), based on an initial two-year period of planning and data collection, a five-year period of implementation and a three-year period of consolidation and quality improvement. 9.5. Given the constraints of resourcing and the need for further capacity building, the Government of Tonga may well prefer to think in terms of a fifteen year programme of education reform. A ten-year programme is preferable if it can be managed. However, because the scope of the education reforms envisaged is large, it would be understandable if a fifteen-year programme of implementation was adopted. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 128 of Education has a judgment to make about the education sector's capacity to meet the challenge of reform. The pace of reform needs to be adjusted to fit the sector’s capacity and the need for capacity building. 9.6. Alongside the consultation that now needs to occur on the draft Strategic Plan, the Ministry of Education may also wish to consider the preparation of a "White Paper" based on this Report and the accompanying Plan. The White Paper could set out the strategic direction for education over a 10 or 15 year period, and could look at this period in terms of two or three Education Sector Investment programmes (each covering five years). The Sector Investment programmes would be management tools through which the Government of Tonga could maximise resources within a longer term planning framework. This Report recommends an overall Education Programme of Support which would incorporate such Sector Investment Programmes. 9.7. The Study Team sees the immediate priorities for the Government of Tonga as the following: • putting a strategic framework in place; • improving the quality of basic education; and • increasing access to post-basic education. 9.8. In order to put a strategic framework in place, the Government of Tonga (effectively, in this context, the Ministry of Education) will need enough space, support and time to develop its own plan and to define what it wants the Strategic Plan for Education to do. The Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga 2003–2013 is not yet a fully realised action plan for the Government of Tonga. It is a beginning, a starting point. The draft plan now needs to be studied by the Government of Tonga, amended if necessary in consultation with stakeholders, and then adopted as official Government policy. 9.9. The task now for the Ministry of Education in Tonga is to develop ownership of the Plan among all the stakeholders in Tongan society. Consultation now needs to be undertaken on the accompanying draft Strategic Plan for Education, in order to ensure that there is general support in Tonga for the directions of change that are proposed, to verify that the proposals being suggested are the right ones for the future of education in Tonga, and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the agreed goals. 9.10. It will be important that the education planning process is “owned” by the Government of Tonga in the next phase of development as it constructs its strategic framework for education. It may be appropriate for some further technical assistance to be provided by NZAID to facilitate this process, although leadership of the planning process, and the determination of the nature of the education objectives and outputs needs to be managed by the Government of Tonga. 9.11. One key issue in planning that needs to be resolved at an early stage, especially when it comes to donor coordination, is reducing the degree of separation between education aid and domestic education policy, and management and budgeting. One way of ensuring that all resources are taken Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 129 account of is to link policy, planning and budgeting at the sector level through a Sector Investment Programme (the sum total of the country’s medium term public sector development activities in the sector). In order to move forward with such a programme, it is essential that the Government of Tonga and its main donors agree to use a common set of key planning principles on which the education development strategy should be based. 9.12. The dimensions that might need to be considered might include the following: • inputs (the financial, administrative and regulatory resources provided by the Government and donors); • outputs (the immediate and concrete consequences of the measures taken and resources used [i.e., number of schools/classrooms built; number of teachers trained; number of textbooks distributed]); • outcomes (the short term results of achieving outputs, usually measured at the level of beneficiaries [i.e. school enrolment; school attendance; positive school climate; enabling conditions for learning; effective teaching/learning process]); and • impact (the medium to long term consequences of the outcomes [i.e., students' academic achievement; students' social skills; students' participation in society; economic success]). 9.13. The role of donors in education planning is an important consideration in Tonga. Donor support has traditionally come in the form of stand alone projects. There is a good case for trying to move towards more strategic financing of key Government priorities. Hence the development of a strategic policy framework, owned by the Government of Tonga, is important. Within this framework all donor contributions to education could be shaped and taken account of. There is potential to use the finally adopted strategic plan for education in Tonga as a basis for multi-donor support for reforms in education, and the possibility of introducing a Sector Wide approach. These issues are elaborated in the following sections, Education Financing and An Education Programme of Support. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 130 10. Education Financing 10.1. Although the terms of reference for the Tonga Education Sector Study do not require it, the Study Team felt it would be useful to include in this Report a brief outline of some data collected in relation to education financing in Tonga, in order to give a context (the “big picture”) in which the draft Strategic Plan for Education could be considered. 10.2. The Tonga Budget Statement for Year Ending 30th June 2003 estimates that the total Estimated Revenues and Grants for 2002/2003 will be $103,807,173.22 Total revenue (both tax and non-tax revenue) is estimated at approximately $96.3 million, while grants will be nearly $7.5 million. The total money appropriated from all sources for 2002/2003 in the Estimates is $122,720,025. 10.3 Of that total, $16,571,021 is appropriated for the Ministry of Education. This amount is the largest appropriation for any ministry, and represents 13.5% of the total country appropriation. The amount of $16.5m includes $1,050,000 which is a contribution to regional organisations. The major annual education contribution made is to the University of the South Pacific, which has a campus on Tongatapu. An average annual contribution to USP of over FJ$560,000 has been made each year over the last three years (this amount does not include the amount paid for Tonga Government scholarship students at USP each year). Other contributions are made to the Commonwealth Youth Programme, the Commonwealth of Learning, the South Pacific Board for Educatio nal Assessment, and the East West Centre (Hawaii). 10.3. Donor support allocated from NZAID for education in 2002/2003 amounts to NZ$2.23 million. Donor support allocated from Australia in 2002/2003 for education is A$1.61 million. There are other smaller amounts of donor support in 2002/2003 for education related projects, such as the Japanese Grassroots aid (approximately between T$500,000 and $600,000 each year) and Canada funds. It is estimated that approximately T$4.5 million will be provided in 2002/2003 for education from external donor sources. When support from donors and the annual appropriation from the Tonga annual budget for 2002/2003 are added, approximately $21 million is available for education. Of this total amount, donors contribute over 21%. 10.4. The Ministry of Education’s Annual Report for 200123 sets out the distribution of expenditure among the education sectors for the 2001 year. The total expenditure in 2001 was approximately $13.4 million, and was distributed by sector or area of activity as set out in the following table (figures are in pa’anga, and have been rounded to the nearest $100,000): 22 Government of Tonga, Budget Statement for Year Ending 30th June 2003, page 41.Figures are in pa’anga (Tongan currency). 23 Ministry of Education, Annual Report 2001, page 25. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 131 Table 8: Breakdown of Education Expenditure - 2001 Sector/Activity Amount in $million Percentage (%) Administration $0.3 2 Professional Services $0.6 5 Primary $6.6 49 Secondary $3.9 29 Post-Secondary $2.0 15 Total $13.4 100 10.5. Revenue (mainly from school and examination fees) in 2001 amounted to $584, 912. Costing Framework 10.6. The terms of reference require the development of a framework for costing the changes proposed in the sector study. 10.7. The actual costs of all the activities to be included in the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003–2013) cannot be calculated with precision at this stage, since further discussion and consultation on the nature, format and timing of the draft Strategic Plan will be required before the Government of Tonga can confirm and finalise its key directions for education in the future. Any alteration to the nature of an output or activity, or their timing, will affect costs and where these fall. 10.8. Some preliminary costs have been included in Chapter 8 of this Report, and more detailed costs are reflected in the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003 – 2013) (in the Change Management and Implementation Plan section). These costs, however, are tentative since they are dependent upon a number of assumptions about the timing and extent of the changes envisaged for education, which have yet to be finally confirmed by the Government of Tonga. 10.9. Accordingly, in order to meet the requirements of the terms of reference, the Study Team has designed a costing template which reflects the goals set out in the draft Strategic Plan for Education, and the outputs and related activities arising from those goals. When the outputs and activities have been confirmed by the Government of Tonga, this template can be used by the Government of Tonga as a framework to cost the specific changes envisaged over the ten years of the draft Strategic Plan for Education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 132 10.10. As part of any exercise to cost the proposed changes arising from this Sector Study, the Government of Tonga may also wish to develop an integrated Budget for the whole of the education sector alongside the further development of its Strategic Plan for Education. Such a budgeting exercise would include all proposed expenditure on education in Tonga over the medium to longer term (say, ten years) (both recurrent and development costs) including expenditure planned both by the Government of Tonga itself and by donors. Such a costing exercise is a much larger Project. If such a budget was required, it could be developed in the context of a Sector Investment Programme (already referred to) and an Education Assistance Programme (see the next chapter). 10.11. The costing framework to assist in assessing the changes proposed in this sector study is set out below. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 133 Framework for Costing Changes required as a result of the Tonga Education Sector Study Goal Output Activities Planning Implementation Consolidation 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 1 1.1 1.1.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ $ - - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 1 1.2 1.2.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ $ - - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 1 1.3 1.3.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ $ - - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 1 1.4 1.4.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ $ - - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 1 1.5 1.5.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ $ - - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 1 1.6 1.6.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ $ - - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 1 1.7 1.7.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ $ - - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 1 1.8 1.8.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ $ - - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.1 2.1.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.2 2.2.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.3 2.3.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.4 2.4.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.5 2.5.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.6 2.6.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.7 2.7.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.8 2.8.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.9 2.9.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 2 2.10. 2.10.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 3 3.1 3.1.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 3 3.2 3.2.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 3 3.3 3.3.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 3 3.4 3.4.1 )etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 3 3.5 3.5.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ 3 3.6 3.6.1 (etc) - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ Total - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ $ - $ - $ - $ - - $ Note: Goals, outputs and activities are set out in the "Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga 2003 - 2013". Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 134 11. Education Programme of Support 11.1 Introduction: Outputs of the TESS include a Final Report detailing Recommendations for change in the education system in Tonga and a Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003–2013) which provides guidelines, priorities and suggested schedules for implementing proposed improvements. The Strategic Plan highlights the fact that some of the recommendations for improvement are not feasible within existing budget allocations to MOE. Other improvements would be implemented most effectively with the assistance of international expertise. 11.2 Current Situation: Donor assistance to education in Tonga up to the present has consisted of individual projects targeted at specific sectors. An example is the successful Tonga Institutional Strengthening Project (TISP) project conducted from 1996 to 2001, funded by NZAID, which provided assistance to the TIOE and for teacher in-service. A further example is the Ha’apai High School project funded by the government of China. Donor assistance in the education sector has not been well coordinated in the past and may have unintended consequences or lead to unforeseen long-term financial commitments which may be unsustainable. 11.3 Planning: The Strategic Plan for Education produced under TESS provides an opportunity for the Government of Tonga, through MOE, to request assistance from donors for specific, costed projects which are coordinated through the Strategic Plan. Priorities outlined in the Strategic Plan will allow MOE to ensure specific projects can be sequenced according to the funds available from donors and to the capacity of MOE to absorb assistance. 11.4 Capacity Building : One consequence of MOE’s commitment to the Strategic Plan will be a requirement for strengthening planning skills within the Ministry. Lessons learned from development projects elsewhere suggest that institutional strengthening/ capacity building can best be achieved if it is recognised as a long-term commitment by both the donor and the recipient agency. This requires the donor to commit funds over a longer term than many are often presently prepared to commit. 11.5 Sustainability: Longer term sustainability of skills developed through capacity building requires the recipient agency to change some of its current practices and commit to stability of staffing. Up to the present time there has been a tendency in MOE to transfer officers around a variety of, often unrelated, posts leading to loss of skills acquired through training. One reason proffered for this movement of staff is a rigid salary scale which forces movement between posts if promotion is sought. Many of the recommendations in the Strategic Plan require increased specialisation of MOE officers, upskilling and, as a consequence, longer term occupation of a post if benefits are to be sustained. Donor assistance will be most beneficial if there exists greater staffing stability in key positions. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 135 11.6 Education Assistance Programme : The foregoing suggests that an integrated programme of assistance to MOE, an Education Assistance Programme (EAP), will be required if the strategies contained in the Strategic Plan are to be implemented. The EAP should be conducted over a minimum five year period with a review conducted in the fifth year, to ensure that capacity improvements are sustainable. The EAP should assist the MOE to implement the Strategic Plan in such a manner as to improve the quality of education offered to students in Tonga within the financial constraints dictated by the country’s budgetary circumstances and the willingness of donors to support various initiatives. 11.7 Donor Assistance: Discussions with donors during TESS indicated that NZAID is likely to be a donor prepared to commit funds to an EAP. Other donors may contribute to specific education assistance projects. The EAP, however, would allow for a coordinated response to the education needs of the country and the possibility of introducing a Sector Wide approach, as outlined in Chapter 9, could be considered. 11.8 Assistance with Planning : The Study Team recommends that NZAID coordinate with other donors to ensure the funding of an Education Assistance Program (EAP) for Tonga over the period covered by the Strategic Plan, committing sufficient funds to assist the MOE to plan and sequence the major outputs of the Strategic Plan within the indicated timeframes. Recommendation 28 11.9 The New Zealand Agency for International Development should consider a coordinated programme of support (an Education Assistance Programme) over the period 2003 to 2013 in order to support the directions finally adopted by the Government of Tonga in its Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 136 12. Risk Management 12.1. There are a number of constraints and potential risks to the achievement of the recommendations made by the Study Team, and the strategies suggested in the Draft Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (2003-2013). These are set out below, with an associated risk management strategy that could be employed to manage the risk. Risks Risk Management Shrinking budgets within Tonga and the Development of clear measurable Public Sector Reform indicate a need to performance indicators and targets for the rely on better management of resources to critical areas are required to support achieve strategic objectives, rather than decision making and accountability. being provided with additional funds This may mean increased student: teacher ratios, eliminating repeating in the system, rationalising schooling provision and other significant and hard decisions. There is a risk that there may not be the political will to make and implement these decisions. The management systems within the Strengthened institutional capacity within MOE will require strengthening for the MOE to co-ordinate planning and necessary processes of planning, implementation of projects and activities reviewing and monitoring of the projects is indicated. It is important that this and activities to achieve strategic strengthening occurs as a priority and objectives. proceeds without delays. The proposed number of activities and The ability of the MOE personnel to donor funded projects and the extent of handle additional functions must be change within the education sector may considered carefully to ensure projects impact on the ability of MOE staff and and activities are not compromised by designated counterparts in Tonga to unreasonable expectations being placed engage fully with each activity/project on any one division at one time. The and cope with the associated workload, proposed Strategic Change Co- while maintaining ongoing educational coordinating Committee will require provision. The MOE will additionally be dedicated staffing and a Terms of placed under pressure from restructuring Reference that enables it to be proactive resulting from the Public Sector Reform in managing and staging developments process. across sectors, and communicating the change process and progress. Educational change across all sectors has Establishing clear and parallel priorities been recommended. Pressure to allocate for each sector and ensuring all sources greater resource to improving coverage of both internal and donor funding are and quality of basic education and to accessed will be necessary to ensure a provide access to all areas geographically wider range of activities can proceed. may lead to a lack of funds to resource other initiatives in education Improvement in educational outcomes Achieving full co-operation is a challenge relies on a strong and growing sense of for all partners and may be enhanced by Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 137 partnership among the providers of transparency of information, effective education; Government, Church, NGO consultation, joint decision making and and Private. Progress will be constrained clear negotiated arrangements. if partnerships to achieve desired education outcomes for all the people of Tonga are not maintained, fostered and strengthened. The desire to increase vocational If adequate resources are not available for technical education highlights resource all schools and providers to offer a wide constraints. These areas are resource range of subjects strategies will need to hungry and the % of education budget rationalise the way subjects are offered spent on salaries leaves little for among schools and providers to adequately resourcing learning in all maximise use of available resources. areas, not just VTE. Introduction of Establishment of Resource Centres in practical subjects without appropriate some locations may assist with access to resources leads to inappropriate teaching facilities and equipment. and assessment practices. There is a risk that all those critical to the The role of TIOE is recognized as crucial implementation of change are not in the development of education in Tonga adequately prepared and trained. In and teacher education and both pre and particular the training of teachers, both in-service is given appropriate emphasis pre and in-service must be highlighted as and priority in the allocation of resources. critical to the success of the proposed strategic change. Recommendations regarding staffing of TIOE made in the TISP Project Review24 have not been supported when establishing staffing for 2003. Strategies that will lead to sustainable Some positions within the MOE are change require counterparts trained in specialist positions requiring long term Tonga over a period of years who will be development of specific skills by staff retained in positions to develop appointed to and retained in these knowledge and skills, implement change positions. Aid donors may be reluctant to and pass on that knowledge and skills to continually invest in technical assistance successors. and counterpart development without greater stability of staffing in these areas. There is a risk that desire for an education Further debate and discussion to resolve system that will both fit Tongan students these issues satisfactorily for Tonga will for overseas study and potentially a life be required. outside of Tonga and that prepares students for life and work in Tonga may lead to compromises that jeopardise both desired outcomes. The division of opinion regarding the appropriate language of instruction is an example of this dilemma. 24 Tonga Institutional Support (Schools) Project Review. Lincoln International for NZODA. March 2002. Page 60. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 138 13. Recommendations Universal Basic Education Recommendation 1 13.1. The Government of Tonga should support the national system of education in which the Ministry of Education undertakes responsibility for providing for the basic education of all students to the end of Year 8 (Form 2) by: • adopting appropriate structures, regulations and policies to ensure accessibility to basic education for all children in Tonga from Year 1 (Class 1) to Year 8 (Form 2) in primary schools; and • fostering close partnerships between the Government and non- Government education providers. Recommendation 2 13.2. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should continue to support pre-school education by: • establishing a system of registration of pre-school providers; • adopting curriculum guidelines and appropriate materials for early childhood education; • making provision for training of pre-school teachers at the Tonga Institute of Education and supporting access to other providers of early childhood teacher training, including the University of the South Pacific; • establishing a Parents as First Teachers advisory service to support and encourage communities that wish to provide early childhood education; and • examining the long term implications of subsidising early childhood education. Recommendation 3 13.3. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should support the special needs of children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities by: • recognising that children and adults with physical and intellectual difficulties need to have access to appropriate educational opportunities; • appointing a specialist adviser(s), with a designated special education role, to initially determine the extent of needs and devise strategies; • making available appropriate learning materials and equipment for special education; • making provision for training of special education teachers at Tonga Institute of Education and supporting access to special education offerings by other providers, including the University of the South Pacific; and • providing teachers of children with special needs with professional development opportunities and targeted in-service training to assist them to help each child with special needs. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 139 Recommendation 4 13.4. The Ministry of Education should co-locate the Examinations Unit of the Ministry of Education with the Curriculum Development Unit under a single administration, with a core of competent staff appointed, trained and given long term tenure in the positions created. Recommendation 5 13.5. The Ministry of Education should undertake a review of the primary and secondary school curriculum in order to ensure appropriate linkages between the levels of schooling and to further enhance transition between the levels and foster the introduction of new subjects. This will lead to the production and delivery of: • an overarching curriculum framework in order to provide progression and continuity in learning outcomes from pre-school levels to Year 13 (Form 7); • a broader curriculum which recognises existing strengths while relating school learning outcomes and objectives to the educational, social and economic goals of the country; • an appropriate sequence of revised specific subject syllabi within the curriculum framework; • revised secondary Agriculture and Technology syllabi through an early request for assistance to ensure progress in these areas is maintained and to meet the pressing need for more relevant practical courses in secondary school; • sufficient and appropriate teaching and learning support resources to enable children to maximise their potential; • improved school broadcasting programmes, such as radio and television, for primary and secondary schools; and • revised primary and secondary physical education and sports syllabuses. Recommendation 6 13.6. The Ministry of Education should broaden the assessment system in Tonga to ensure a wider range of students’ skills and abilities is assessed, by: • establishing an Assessment Review Working Party, including representation from the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment, to review the current school assessment system and report to the Director of the Ministry of Education; • reporting the findings of the Assessment Review Working Party to the independent Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board which has oversight of all qualifications in Tonga; • phasing out the Secondary Entrance Examination at Year 6 (Class 6) and replacing it in the short term with an examination at the end of compulsory education at Year 8 (Form 2) to select entrants for Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 140 secondary schools which would then cater for Year 9 (Form 3) and above; • in the medium to longer term, examining the feasibility of removing the Secondary Entrance Examination completely and allowing social promotion to Year 11 (Form 5) with selection to secondary schools [beginning at Year 9 (Form 3)] determined by a combination of school- determined criteria and geographic zoning; • developing and applying assessment instruments across the early primary years to assist with diagnosing learning difficulties and remediation strategies; and • adopting a regional qualification for Year 13 (Form 7), developed by the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment, and introduced in 2004 to replace the New Zealand University Bursaries examination, with recognition sought from international qualifications orga nisations such as the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee, in order to ensure entry for tertiary study equivalent to that previously generated by performance in the University Bursaries examination. Recommendation 7 13.7. The Ministry of Education should revise the existing policy on languages, literacy, and bilingualism, taking into account that: • the main language of instruction in primary schools will be Tongan Language up to the end of Year 3 (Class 3), that both Tongan and English (bilingual) will be used as the languages of instruction in Years 4 to 6 (Classes 4 to 6), and that English will be the main language of instruction from Year 7 (Form 1) onwards; • Tongan Language and Culture is taught throughout the school from Years 1 to 13 (Class 1 to Form 7); • appropriate in-service training is provided to all early childhood and primary school teachers to develop their skills to meet the stated Tongan and English language curriculum objectives, with a focus on developing literacy skills; • high priority is given to developing, producing and distributing quality learning resources to support the development of literacy and numeracy (both graded readers and good quality books) initially in Tongan for the early primary school years, and then in both Tongan and English; and • an adequate supply of books, both in Tongan and in English, is made available for use across the curriculum. Recommendation 8 13.8. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should continue to ensure an adequate supply of trained teachers delivering a consistently high standard of education to meet the needs of all schools in Tonga by providing appropriate facilities, resources and support, and by continuing to strengthen the Tonga Institute of Education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 141 Recommendation 9 13.9. The Tonga Institute of Education Advisory Committee for Teacher Education, comprising representatives of the government and non- government education providers and other stakeholders, should be re- established to: • coordinate and advise on all pre-service and in-service teacher education offerings; • develop a coordinated plan for pre-service and in-service education offerings, which recognises serving teachers’ need for a qualification; • encourage partnership between government and non-government education providers for integrated planning; and • ensure that in-service training forms an integral part of the overall revision of curriculum and assessment in schools. Skill Development Recommendation 10. 13.10. The Government of To nga through the Ministry of Education, in conjunction with the other recommendations relating to human resource development and a training needs analysis, should develop a specific National Strategic Plan for formal Post-Secondary Education and Training as part of its broader Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga, ensuring co- ordination with other post-secondary education providers. Recommendation 11 13.11. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to foster an internationally recognised tertiary education sector in Tonga by coordinating existing post-secondary education and expanding the Tonga Institute of Higher Education to create a separate autonomous tertiary education institution, accountable to a duly constituted Governing Body, and responsible directly to the Minister of Education for its policy direction and for achievement of its negotiated outcomes. Recommendation 12 13.12. The Government of Tonga through the Minister of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs by establishing the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board, approved by Cabinet in 1987, as a statutory body to provide strategic direction, co-ordination, industry input, quality assurance and audit for a qualifications system of post-compulsory education and training in Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 142 Recommendation 13 13.13. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to investigate all avenues for rationalising and enhancing the provision of facilities and resources for technical and vocational education and training, including exploring the viability of specialist technology/resource centres available to school and community groups. Recommendation 14 13.14. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should maximise the use of technology: • to enhance and facilitate on-line and distance education which supports further articulation agreements with international institutions; and • to provide early childhood, primary, secondary and post-secondary education opportunities, particularly to outer islands. Recommendation 15 13.15. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen, and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs by: • further developing the technical subjects at secondary schools to provide a viable and legitimate pathway to equivalent school qualifications for students who wish to study practical subjects and the creative arts; and • supporting and recognising the development of school-based alternative programmes in technical and vocational fields which lead to industry- focused qualifications. Recommendation 16 13.16. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to provide a public awareness programme to promote the value of technical and vocational education and to raise awareness of the pathways to employment and further study. Recommendation 17 13.17. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should review the processes for recruitment and training of teachers for all areas of technical and vocational education, in line with recommendations relating to the strengthening of teacher education. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 143 Recommendation 18 13.18. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should continue to coordinate, strengthen and expand formal and non-formal technical and vocational education that is responsive to industry needs by exploring possible partnerships among industry, employees and training institutes, to further develop and extend a work-based learning model for trade and technical education. Recommendation 19 13.19. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should initiate an independent, comprehensive and systematic national training needs analysis, in order to determine the scope and direction of Tonga’s future training needs, and should subsequently develop a National Human Resource Development Plan, linked to its Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga, by: • setting out the key skill development priorities for the country’s growth; • targeting resources to meet the needs revealed in the national training needs analysis; • fostering relationships among industry, employers and tertiary education providers; and • establishing a mechanism to coordinate national capacity building activities, to achieve synergies in education and training, to ensure that post-secondary education and training is driven by the needs of industry, and to achieve a coherent policy for human resources development and institutional capacity development. Recommendation 20 13.20. The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Education, should ensure that future national human resource development needs are being met through an allocation of scholarships to meet the forecast needs of the work force in Tonga (in both the Government service and the private sector), as demonstrated in the training needs analysis. Recommendation 21 13.21. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Ed ucation should ensure that education is supported as a life long process, and that systems allow for second chance and continuing education and training, by establishing a national strategy for lifelong learning, including: • programmes for the promotion of good health, physical fitness and sports; • annual programmes for youth support, opportunities for re-entry to formal schooling by adults and early leavers, support for non-formal educational opportunities, and an adult literacy programme; and • supporting the return to formal learning through the University of the South Pacific preliminary and foundation courses and with other education providers. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 144 Recommendation 22 13.22. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should ensure that education is supported as a life long process by: • exploring opportunities to develop life and work skill modules that can be undertaken in homes and villages using radio and distance learning methods, combined with local mentoring support; and • actively supporting, promoting and expanding existing short-term training, and providing community and continuing education opportunities, including attachments and short courses outside Tonga. Reform of Education Administration Recommendation 23 13.23. The Ministry of Education should develop a national Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga (based on the document accompanying this Report) which: • bears a clear relationship to the National Strategic Development Plan and the current Government reform exercise; • sets out goals and objectives for education in Tonga; • aims to increase effectiveness and efficiency; • plans for progressive improvements to the education system over the medium term; • allows the Ministry of Education to undertake responsibility for policy oversight of the whole education system through the development of national guidelines; • fosters improved networks and partnerships between the Government and Non-Government sectors; • considers where devolution of more responsibility to schools and their communities would be in the national interest, and how any appropriate changes might be managed progressively over time; • reviews the current national network of schooling provision; and • moves progressively to reform the national distribution of funds for education where such reform is in the national interest. Recommendation 24 13.24. The Ministry of Education should consider restructuring the administration and management of the Ministry in order to strengthen its policy development role, its administrative structure, and its capacity to deliver education more effectively. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 145 Recommendation 25 13.25. The Ministry of Education should develop a National Strategic Plan for school property development and investment as part of the overall Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. Recommendation 26 13.26. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should review the Education Act 1974, and amend it if necessary, in order to take into account any changes adopted by Government that arise from the Tonga Education Sector Study and the development of the Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. Recommendation 27 13.27. The Government of Tonga through the Ministry of Education should require providers of post-compulsory education and training to develop institutional gender policies in line with a commitment to gender equity. Education Assistance Programme Recommendation 28 13.28. The New Zealand Agency for International Development, in consultation with the other external donors, should consider making a commitment to a co-ordinated programme of support (an Education Assistance Programme) over the next ten years in order to support the directions finally adopted by the Government of Tonga in its Strategic Plan for Education in Tonga. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 146 14. Appendices Appendix 1: Terms of Reference Tonga – Education Sector Study Background In Tonga both the government and the non-government sectors are very active in the education sector. The central government agency, the Tonga Ministry of Education (TMOE) sets policy for the sector, and has many other functions - including preparing for and running or coordinating secondary examinations (up to Form 7 level), developing curriculum, operating the Tonga Institute of Education (TIOE - Tonga's only teacher training facility), and providing most of the primary schooling. Conversely, only about 20% of secondary education is provided by government schools, while the bulk, about 80%, is provided by the various churches in Tonga. Tongans also have access to a growing number of post compulsory/tertiary education courses provided in-country by government and non-government facilities; eg the Community Development Training Centre, and the Tonga Institute of Science and Technology, both run by the TMOE; the Queen Salote School of Nursing, and Tonga Health Training Centre (run by the Ministry of Health); a Police Training School; the Tupou High School Business and Computer Education Centre, and Hango Agricultural College both of which offer courses at certificate and diploma levels (both run by the Free Wesleyan Church). A number of other church run schools provide various basic vocational courses and business type courses, and theological education and in-service training for their members. The Tonga Defence Force provides short term training in such areas as building, construction, electrical and motor mechanics for its staff. The University of the South Pacific (USP) Extension Centre near Nuku'alofa offers formal (up to Master's level) and non-formal programmes through distance education mode. About 300 students enrol in around 600 papers each year. School leavers who miss out on entering Tonga Form 7 can attend Foundation courses at the centre. A number of facilities, mostly small and run by churches or various community groups, provide pre-schooling for some children, mostly in larger centres. A private facility, 'Atenisi Institute, provides a secondary division, a Foundation for the Performing Arts, and university level education in arts and science programmes up to Master's level. In recent years the TMOE has worked on a draft Strategic Education Plan for the sector but this plan needs to be revised to bring it into line with the objectives of Tonga's latest development plan - Strategic Development Plan Seven (SDP7), released in 2000/01. The main emphasis of SDP7 for the education sector is the realignment of post secondary education with Tonga's economic development needs. This includes giving priority to technical/vocational education. A greater focus on coordination with non-government education systems, particularly at secondary level, is also envisaged in SDP7. Structures, management and delivery of these areas need to be examined to facilitate the most effective collaboration and provision. To help the TMOE update its draft Strategic Education Plan and to plan more effectively for the education sector, Tonga has requested New Zealand to fund a study of the sector. This request flows from a Joint Strategy Study of the New Zealand Official Development Assistance (NZODA) programme for Tonga in 2001. The study recommended, among other Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 147 things, a greater focus in the Tonga ODA programme on education and training, and specifically: § on improving the quality of formal education outcomes § a greater focus on vocational and technical training by strengthening existing institutions and programmes § a greater focus on non-formal training and education In respect of the formal education sector, the strategy study also proposed that NZODA should move towards a programme approach so that its assistance would become integrated into the development of the overall sector, targeted to priority needs, and able to deliver the most effective outcomes. This would require, inter alia, the development of new mechanisms to include inputs from non-government educational providers and the wider community into policy and programme development. The Joint NZODA/Tonga Strategy Study noted that adoption of a programmatic approach to formal education sector development would also require the development of a sector wide, integrated plan for the Tongan education system as a whole. This would incorporate both government and non government providers of education and training. At annual bilateral ODA consultations in July 2001, New Zealand agreed to consider assisting with the development of such a sector wide integrated plan for education which would, inter alia, consider ways to expand vocational and technical education and to examine the balance between academic and vocational education. The Tongan government has provided its views on the proposed study which was also to link to the public sector reform needs of the Tongan government. The views of leaders of church education systems were also canvassed. There was general consensus at the high level aid talks that the sector plan, once completed, would form the basis for future funding of priority areas and educational reforms by the Tongan government and by Tonga's funding partners. An education sector study would help TMOE to align its draft Strategic Education Plan more closely with SDP7. At the annual ODA talks, New Zealand and Tonga officials also reached broad agreement on a medium term programme strategy for the NZODA programme, subsequently endorsed by both governments. The goal of the strategy is to build capacity for sustainable and equitable development and self-sufficiency. This is not limited to education, training or institutional strengthening activities, but is also intended to reflect an emphasis on increasing the capacity of government, non-government organisations and communities to identify and solve their own problems, with assistance that is appropriate to local needs and which directly promotes self-sufficiency. The development of the sector wide integrated plan for education would involve all key stakeholders in the planning of educational development in Tonga. Previ ous reviews by NZODA and other donors have focused on specific aspects of education, eg curriculum development, and teacher training, but the TMOE considers that before any further progress is made or donor approached to fund any major educational projects there is a need to conduct a comprehensive review of the education system as a whole to provide the Ministry with a clear direction for educational policy and continuing improvements to achieve quality and relevant education. The TMOE considers that to build capacity for sustainable and equitable development and self-sufficiency (as envisaged under the new strategic directions of the NZODA programme) the education system should be well coordinated and strengthened, both in the formal and non-formal sectors and in government and non government systems. They consider that if capacity building is augmented at the primary and secondary education levels, it will facilitate greater participation by the Tongan people in the country's social, cultural, political and economic life. To address capacity building, and local capacity to deliver this, and the links between education and development and labour market needs in Tonga, the education sector Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 148 study will examine all aspects of education including post-secondary and higher education. The latter will include USP, scholarships and awards, institutions in Tonga and the issue of accreditation of qualifications within and beyond Tonga. It will also take into account activity and trends in these areas in the wider Pacific region. The TMOE envisages the education sector study should document and analyse strengths and weaknesses of the current systems and risks and opportunities for future developments, following contributions from all appropriate stakeholders. As education in Tonga is bound up with a unique history and culture, the input of sectors outside the national education system is considered pivotal for the tailoring of any future education system. The consultants undertaking the education sector study will need to focus, inter alia, on: § Obtaining views from the wider Tonga community on the current education situation and future development of education in Tonga. § Examining the legal framework within which the Tongan education system operates. (This should include a review of the Tonga Education Act of 1974. Since its enactment, very few minor amendments have been made, and Tonga considers that it is timely to review the Act in view of new global trends to create the conditions and environment necessary to promote educational development.) § Examining all core functional areas, including administration and management of all education delivery, to determine positive features and weaknesses of existing programmes. § Completing an assessment of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) establishments and non-formal education providers, including their core functions, twinning programmes and accreditation frameworks, to identify the appropriate form and focus of TVET, the balance between academic and vocational education and where there might be duplication and overlapping of mandates and programmes that could be rationalised. The study will also look at accreditation and assessment needs. The consultants will also need to consult with other donors which provide assistance to Tonga in the education sector to obtain a fuller picture of existing and planned ODA interventions in education and training. Based on their wide ranging consultations within Tonga, and on the draft TMOE Education strategy paper and related legislation, policies, regulations, statistics and information, and in collaboration with the TMOE and other key policy personnel, the study team report will present analysis and evaluation of the past and current education delivery and outcomes and recommendations for future efficient delivery of education that will meet national objectives in Tonga. The work of the study team will provide a basis for Tonga's educational planning, and guidance for future donor support in the education sector in Tonga. Goal of Review To produce a foundation which assists with efficiency and effectiveness in educational planning and delivery and improved outcomes of future education in Tonga. Objective 1 / Phase 1 To identify and analyse the current policies, practices, structures and management systems in education delivery in both the government and non-government sectors, so as to identify strengths, weaknesses and gaps, and where change and improvements are needed. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 149 Tasks § Consult with a wide range of Tongan stakeholders, including educators, community groups, employers, the private sector, parents, and youth, to obtain their views of the current education situation in Tonga and the future development of education in Tonga; § Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks of the present education sector; § Assess the current provision of: o pre-school/early childhood o primary and secondary school education o non-formal and informal education and training opportunities, including provision of special education o post-secondary school level, including adult education o and higher education including curriculum, teaching methods, assessment, resources and facilities, to determine the quality, effectiveness, efficiency and appropriateness of provision, with specific attention to the balance between academic and vocational education; § Assess existing education sector policies, standards and monitoring systems, their implementation and effectiveness, with particular reference to gender; § Assess the current structures and systems for managing and administering the delivery of education and training programmes, including current staffing, resourcing, infrastructure, funding and financing arrangements to assess their effectiveness and appropriateness. § Confirm human resource development priorities, needs and issues for Tonga and assess the degree to which education provision in Tonga meets these needs and priorities; § Identify, describe and analyse the current and planned activities of all Tonga's ODA donors which are assisting, or which plan to assist, in the education sector in Tonga; § Examine the legal framework within which the Tongan education system operates, including a review of the Tonga Education Act of 1974 to assess its continuing relevance to education in Tonga; § Undertake an assessment of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) establishments and non-formal education providers, including their core functions, twinning programmes and accreditation frameworks. Based on this assessment, assessment of current TVET programmes, and in the context of national plans and identified needs, and the level of resourcing available to deliver TVET, examine the appropriate form and focus of TVET for Tonga, the balance between academic and vocational education and where there might be duplication and overlapping of mandates and programmes that could be rationalised; § Examine the accreditation and assessment needs of Tonga. Objective Two/Phase 2 To identify and prioritise options for improved delivery of education and improved achievements in education, with specific reference to the public service structure, core functions of Government and national policies, the churches, and communities.. Tasks § Identify the skills base, structures and processes necessary to effectively deliver the current education system and potential improvements in delivery and assess o leadership and management requirements o staffing requirements o resources requirements o funding requirements § Identify options for managing post secondary and community education and training programmes undertaken outside of the Ministry of Education and assess: o leadership and management requirements Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 150 o staffing requirements o resources requirements o funding requirements Objective 3/Phase 3 Negotiate and develop a strategic plan for education and training in Tonga and identify processes for its implementation. Tasks § Based on previous educational planning, SDP7 and the agreed outcomes from the findings in this study, develop a strategic plan for education and training in Tonga that covers, at national and local level and for government and non government systems and non-formal/informal education: o legislative and regulatory needs, including policies o leadership and management requirements o administrative and management systems, including frameworks and processes for priority setting and accountability o personnel requirements, including numbers and training, and supply o resourcing and funding requirements § Develop a change management and implementation plan for the strategic education plan; § Establish a framework for costing the changes proposed in the sector study. Methodology The sector study will take into account the mix of educational providers, the needs of private and public sector employers, community development needs and geographic and demographic factors. The analysis must take into account: § national and community needs and aspirations; § available resources (including funding, staffing, materials and facilities); § current legislation, policy and regulations; § directions of public sector reform; § functional structures and management systems. The study team will take the following approach in carrying out the tasks outlined above: § Prior to departure, complete a literature search of relevant publications on the education sector in Tonga, including the use of relevant international databases and study existing documentation on the project. Accuracy of information will be validated wherever possible before use. Where there are significant gaps in information the consultant will liaise with the Ministry of Education to find ways to address these; § Attend a pre-departure briefing at MFAT/DEV in Wellington; § Consult with relevant organisations and groups in Tonga to identify educational needs and priorities, including gender issues and the degree to which these meet Tongan and NZODA priorities: o Relevant central government agencies including the Ministry of Education, Tonga Institute of Education, Ministry of Finance, other central agencies, such as Central Planning Department, and Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Health, Police; o Post compulsory/tertiary institutions including the Tonga Institute of Technology and Science, the Community Development Training Centre, Tupou High School Business Centre, USP Extension Centre; o Relevant church based organisations active in the education sector; o Relevant national and local NGOs and community-based organisations; o Relevant national and local women's NGOs and other organisations; o Key people in other relevant organisations; Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 151 o NZODA advisers in the education sector, including DEAP; o Tongan students studying in New Zealand; o Other donors active in the sector or in the area, eg AusAID (including macro education policy analyst, Pacific education advisor, Tonga programme manager and Tonga HC staff), EU, Japan, US Peace Corps, UNESCO Pacific, etc; o Regional educational institutions: USP/Suva (Institute of Education), South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment, Suva; § Visit selected schools and education and training institutions and consult with principals, teachers/instructors, students and parent representatives to assess social, gender, economic and educational impacts and issues using appropriate methodologies, including participatory approaches § Visit the outer islands of 'Eua, Ha'apai and Vava'u, and contact school principals and teachers on Niuatoputapu or Niuafo'ou by telephone if an actual visit to the Niuas proves too difficult/time consuming; § Consult, observe and survey representative groups of primary and secondary school pupils and students in post compulsory/tertiary institutions; § Provide feedback to key stakeholders - eg this could include conducting a brief workshop with representatives of the partner government and church run educational systems to discuss preliminary findings; § Prepare a draft report at the end of the information gathering cycle, for feedback from key stakeholders with regard to coverage, accuracy and emphasis; § Prepare a discussion document that outlines and discusses key issues and possible options for the strategic education plan, for circulation prior to the commencement of phase 2 of the study; § Prepare a draft report following phase 2 of the study, for feedback from key stakeholders with regard to coverage, accuracy and emphasis; § Prepare a final report taking into account feedback on the draft report; § In full consultation with Tongan stakeholders assist with the development of the strategic education plan Planning It is envisaged that the duration of the study will be approximately eight - nine weeks and that it could be undertaken in a staged approach as follows: § Initial preparation work in New Zealand covering briefings, researching, gathering and studying existing materials: up to 5 working days; § A field visit to Tonga to consult with all stakeholders and to gather information, including visits to outer islands to meet with schools and island communities: up to 15 working days; § Return to New Zealand to complete the process of digesting and analysing all material and information gathered and to prepare: o a draft report covering the information gathered and analysis from phase 1 o and a discussion paper covering key issues, options and priorities: up to 10 working days; § Return visit to Tonga to present findings and options, to discuss priorities, develop the education sector study report and help TMOE prepare the strategic education plan: up to 10 working days; § Prepare the final report on the study, taking into account feedback from all stakeholders, up to 5 working days for team members and a further 5 days for the key report writer/s. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 152 Management The contract for the development of the sector study will be managed by NZODA. It is important that the work of the review group be monitored during the study and the arrangement suggested below is one proposed approach: § The consultants will be required to report to a Tongan Reference Group (TRG) comprising representatives from a number of government and non-government organisations, including the following: o Ministry of Education o Office of the Prime Minister/Central Planning Department o Ministry of Finance o Tonga Advisory Council for Education (a representative of a non-government (church) education system) o NGO representative It is envisaged that the TORG would be chaired by the TMOE and the group's role would be to guide the work of the consultancy team to ensure comprehensive coverage of issues, and the timely completion of tasks according to agreed workplans and timeframes. In addition, the TMOE would need to make available an officer as a liaison person to help organise meetings for the team and to assist with other logistics. Reporting The consultants will report orally to NZODA, key stakeholders and the TMOE at the end of phase 1, and at the start and end of phases 2 and 3. They will also report orally each week to the TRG (when in Tonga). They should also present a bullet point summary of findings for discussion with TRG at the conclusion of the study. Such reporting will need to cover such aspects as: § results of consultations with groups and individuals § analysis of research § preliminary findings with draft options § frameworks for setting priorities § implications of costings etc Prior to and during development of the discussion paper to be developed from phase 2, the consultants should discuss the preliminary findings with stakeholders, interest groups and those with whom they have had discussions during the information gathering and analysis phases of the sector study. The purpose of the discussion is to ensure that the consultants have sufficiently captured the issues raised by respondents for inclusion in their reporting and to scope the feasibility of identified options and priorities. Reporting should, inter alia, identify appropriate delivery, performance, development and management systems that will facilitate continuous improvement in the quality of education, including improved achievement levels for students, and in its delivery. It should also address resourcing for delivery of education and training. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 153 Outputs The study team will provide the following products from their mission: § Feedback (eg through a workshop) in-country at the end of each stage of the mission to report back findings to key stakeholders and, in particular, the partner government; § A preliminary report detailing the information gathering and primary analysis at the end of phase 1; § A discussion paper covering the analysis, findings, options and priorities that emerge from the study; § Assistance in the development of a national strategic education plan and a change management and implementation plan. These plans are to be completed within the timeframe of the study; § A report on the education sector study detailing the findings and outcomes and any further recommendations of the study team (a suggested report format can be provided); § After discussions with the TMOE and key stakeholders and NZODA, the team will finalise and submit the completed report to the TMOE; § A final debriefing for the Tonga Development Programme Manager and other relevant officers at NZ MFAT. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 154 Appendix 2: Bibliography List of Documents – Tonga Education Sector Study Asian Development Bank, April 2002. Tonga – Natural Resource Use and Sustainable Socio-economic Development: Pacific Studies Series, Asian Development Bank, Manila. Australian Agency for International Development, August 1998. Study of the Vocational and Technical Education Sector in Tonga: Sector Review Study (Draft), Canberra. Central Planning Department, June 2000. Social & Economic Bulletin June 2000: Kakai, Government of Tonga, Nuku’alofa. Central Planning Department, 2000. Strategic Development Plan 7 – Volume 1, Government of Tonga, Nuku’alofa. Central Planning Department, 2000. Strategic Development Plan 7 – Volume 2, Government of Tonga. Nuku’alofa. Central Planning Department, July 2001. Strategic Development Plan 7, 2001-2004, Government of Tonga, Nuku’alofa. Department of Education, May, 1999. Taking Responsibility for Ending Social Promotion: A Guide for Educators and State and Local Leaders, Washington, D.C. Educational Resources Information Center, 2000. Retention and Social Promotion: Research and Implications for Policy: ERIC Digest No 16, New York. Government of Tonga, 2003. Budget Statement for Year Ending 30th June 2003, Nuku’alofa. Government of Tonga, 1975. Education Act 1974, Nuku’alofa. Government of Tonga, 2001. Education (Schools and General Provisions) Regulations 2001, Nuku’alofa. Hendey, Dianne, May 2002. Report on Tonga In-Country Training Project, New Zealand Agency for International Development, Wellington. Hendey, Dianne & Liava’a, Viliami, November 2000. Review of the Tonga NZODA Pilot In-country Award Scheme 1999/2000, New Zealand Agency for International Development, Wellington. Liava’a, Viliami 1999. Demography/Population Discussion Papers: Discussion Paper No 1: National Air Migration Survey 1999, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Suva. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 155 Lincoln International Ltd, March 2002 (Amended Version June 2002), Final Report: Tonga Institutional Support (Schools) Project Review, New Zealand Agency for International Development, Wellington. Ministry of Education, 2001. Annual Report, Ministry of Education, 2000, Nuku’alofa. Ministry of Education, 2002. Annual Report, Ministry of Education, 2001, Nuku’alofa. Ministry of Education, 1996. Community Development and Training Centre: 1996 Handbook, Nuku’alofa. Ministry of Education, 19 May 1997. Education and the Challenge of the Twenty- First Century: Public Sector Paper (Prepared for the USP Tonga Strategic Planning Seminar in Education), Nuku’alofa. Ministry of Education, 1994. Language Education: English And Tongan Syllabus (Classes 1-6, Form 1-2), Curriculum Development Unit, Nuku’alofa, in association with the Queensland Education Consortium, AIDAB, and the Australian Government. Ministry of Education, 2002. Tonga Short Term Training Centre, Nuku’alofa. Ministry of Education, various. Syllabuses, Examination Prescriptions, Examination Papers. Nuku’alofa. National Association of School Psychologists, 1998. Position Statement on Student Grade Retention and Social Promotion, Maryland, U.S.A. New Zealand Agency for International Development, July 2002. Human Rights Policy Statement , Wellington. New Zealand Agency for International Development, July 2002. Policy Statement Towards a Safe and Just World Free of Poverty, Wellington. New Zealand Agency for International Development, July 2002. Towards a Strategy for the Pacific Islands Region, Wellington. New Zealand Official Development Assistance, March 2001. NZODA: Tonga Programme Strategy Study, Wellington. Pacific Programs, 1981. Aims of Education for Tonga, Macquarie University, Sydney. Polytechnics International New Zealand (Betty Carpenter, Sam Weller), September 1999. Review of the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment (SPBEA), New Zealand Agency for International Development, Wellington. Polytechnics International New Zealand Ltd (Lynn Scott, Eve Coxon, Wayne Robertson), February 2002. Tonga Institutional Strengthening Project: Final Project Report, New Zealand Agency for International Development, Wellington. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 156 Polytechnics International New Zealand Ltd (Martin Grinsted & Christine Scott), July 1998. Establishment of a National Qualifications and Assessment System Project: Tonga Appraisal Mission, New Zealand Agency for International Development, Wellington. Reform Secretariat, April 2002. Economic and Public Sector Reform Programme: Basic Information, Government of Tonga, Nuku’alofa. Reform Secretariat, June 2002. Economic and Social Impact Monitoring and Mitigation, Economic Outlook, Financial Sector Reform, Fiscal Reform, Private Sector Reform Programme, Prospects for Economic Development, Public Service Reform, Tax Reform, Government of Tonga, Nuku’alofa. SAGRIC International, September 1999. Tonga Technical and Vocational Educational Project Design Mission, Adelaide. Solomon Leonard (Matthew Abel, Caroline Tupoulahi), April 2002. NZODA Review of Tonga In-Country Training Programme, New Zealand Agency for International Development, Wellington. Statistics Department, 1999. Demographic Analysis: Summary and Population Projections (Census, 1996), Government of Tonga, Nuku’alofa. Statistics Department, 1999. Tonga Population Census, 1996: Household Analysis: Tonga Population Census, 1996, Government of Tonga, Nuku’alofa. Statistics Department, 1999. Tonga Population Census, 1996: Internal Migration, Government of To nga, Nuku’alofa. Tonga Pre-School Association, 2002 Tonga Pre-School Syllabus, Nuku’alofa. UNESCO, 2001. The EFA 2000 Assessment: Country Report: Tonga. http://www2.unesco.org/wef/countryreports/tonga/rapport_1.html University of the South Pacific, 2002. Distance and Flexible Learning Handbook 2002, Suva, Fiji. Women and Development Centre, August 2001. Kingdom of Tonga: National Policy on Gender and Development: Towards Gender Equity, Harmonious Society and a Better Future For All, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of Tonga, Nuku’alofa. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 157 Appendix 3: People Consulted Hon. Paula Bloomfield Interim Minister of Education Tonga Government Warwick Hawker NZ High Commissioner for NZ Government Tonga Jonathan Curr Acting NZ High Commissioner NZ Government Hon. Marian Hobbs Associate Minister of Foreign NZ Government Affairs and Trade Don Will NZAID Tonga Development NZ Government Programme Manager Trisha Nally Education Specialist, NZAID NZ Government Michael Ward Adviser (Education), NZAID NZ Government Julie Affleck Education Specialist, NZAID NZ Government Haini Tonga Government Representative Tonga Government ‘Eua Lynn Scott Director: Tonga Schools NZAID Institutional Strengthening Project (TISP) 1998-2001 Eve Coxon Co-Director: TISP NZAID Murray Gadd Consultant: TISP NZAID Jim Peters Consultant: TISP NZAID Ross Tasker Consultant: TISP NZAID Tonga Ministry of Education Viliami Takau Director of Education Tonga MOE Peaua Heimuli Deputy Director Non-Formal Tonga MOE and Post Secondary Colin Lutui Deputy Director Tonga MOE Administration Siale Puloka Deputy Director Sports/ Tonga MOE Training Centre Lucy Moala Mafi Chief Education Officer, Tonga MOE Administration and Secondary Divisions ‘Ilaise Kupu Senior Education Officer Tonga MOE Scholarships Piula Fukofuka Acting Principal Tonga TIOE Institute of Education Loseta Folaumoeloa Lecturer Accounting TIOE TIOE Penisimani Fifita SEO, TIOE TIOE Sela Tapa’atoutai Senior Lecturer Science TIOE TIOE Makalita ‘Otumuli Lecturer Science/Maths TIOE TIOE Dulcie Tei Senior Lecturer Home TIOE Economics TIOE Liuaki Fusitu’a Senior Lecturer TIOE History/Education TIOE Claude Tupou Senior Lecturer Economics TIOE TIOE Malakai Tapealava Acting Principal TIST TIST Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 158 Staff and students of TIST TIST Lata ‘Akau’ola Langi Principal Tonga High School Secondary Finau Talia’uli Principal ‘Eua High School Secondary Kalala Unu Deputy Principal ‘Eua High Secondary School Lupe Baker Teacher ‘Eua High School Secondary Mataika Folaumahina Teacher ‘Eua High School Secondary Malia Tu’amoheloa Teacher ‘Eua High School Secondary Sione Loumoli Teacher ‘Eua High School Secondary ‘Eneasi Kakala Principal Nuku’alofa GPS Primary Daisy Raas Deputy Principal Primary Nuku’alofa GPS ‘Epenisa Tu’ipulotu Deputy Principal Nuku’alofa Primary GPS Nouela Tonga Principal Tonga Side School Primary Mele Tahaafe Principal ‘Ohonua GPS, ‘Eua Primary Salesi Fa’asolo Principal Ha’atu’a GPS, ‘Eua Primary Jeffrey Taufa Chief Education Officer – Curriculum Unit Curriculum Unit Siatu Kimoana Vaea Senior Lecturer Distance DECC Education Communication Centre Brian Langi Programme Coordinator CDTC Agriculture and Accounting. Community Development and Training Centre Tu’ifua Takapautolo Chief Education Officer - Examinations Unit Examinations Fane Fusipongi Ketu’u Examinations Unit Examinations Unit Kasa Kilioni Examinations Unit Examinations Unit Mele Niulala Examinations Unit Examinations Unit Sesilia Latu Examinations Unit Examinations Unit Sione Kupu Examinations Unit Examinations Unit ‘Aneti Fonua Chief Education Officer Primary Division Primary Tongatapu Finau Fakatou Senior Inspector of Schools Primary Division Tongatapu Fatafehi Fangaloka Assistant Snr. Education Primary Division Officer (Western) Tongatapu Silivia Mafi Assistant Snr. Area Organiser Primary Division (Central) Tongatapu Helena Taufateau Assistant Snr. Area Organiser Primary Division (Eastern) Tongatapu Talahiva Fine Assistant Senior Education Primary Division Ha’apai Officer, Ha’apai Siaongo Monu Education Officer, Ha’apai Primary Division Ha’apai Saia Taufa’ao Supervising Teacher, Ha’apai Primary Division Ha’apai Vaima’ali Peti Supervising Teacher, Ha’apai Primary Division Ha’apai Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 159 Pauline Puleiku Teacher in Charge GPS Taunga Primary Vava’u Lesieli Foketi Teacher in Charge GPS Falevai Primary Vava’u ‘Isikeli Oko Acting Principal: Vava’u High Secondary School Tevita Ma’u Deputy Principal Vava’u High Secondary School Tupou ‘Ahome’e Principal Neiafu GPS, Vava’u Primary Sione Tau Principal Liviela GPS, Vava’u Primary ‘Ana NGahe Principal Leimatu’a GPS, Primary Vava’u Siosi’ana Tapueluelu Principal Ha’apai High School Secondary ‘Ana Lupe Voi Deputy Principal Ha’apai High Secondary School Kalafitoni Latu Senior Teacher Ha’apai High Secondary School Paula F Mafi Teacher Ha’apai High School Secondary ‘Osaiasi Palalei Teacher Ha’apai High School Secondary ‘Ofeina Feao Teacher Ha’apai High School Secondary Solopani Loloma Teacher Ha’apai High School Secondary Kelepi Tano’a Teacher Ha’apai High School Secondary ‘Eveline Ha’angana Principal Tonga High School Secondary National Form 7 Sione Maumau Chief Inspector of Schools Primary Primary Division ‘Emalile Latu Primary Teacher Primary ‘Ativeniana Pomana Assistant Senior Inspector Primary Friendly Island Teachers Association Finau H Tutone Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association ‘Ativeniana Pomana Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association Soakimi Lolesio Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association Sione Vaipulu Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association Fatai Leger Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association ‘Alamoti Tautakitaki Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association Manu ‘Akau’ola Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association Penisimani Fifita Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association Tali Makahununiu Friendly Island Teachers FITA Association. Non Government Education David Russell St Andrews High School Anglican School System Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 160 Trevor Simpson Principal St Andrew’s High Anglican School System School Savelio ‘Atuekaho Director of Free Church of Free Church of Tonga Tonga Education System Education System Sekona Taufa Principal Tailulu College, Free Church of Tonga Ha’apai Alan Cains Principal Ocean of Light Bahai Faith International School Leanne Smith Deputy Principal Ocean of Bahai Faith Light International School John McLeod Deputy Principal Ocean of Bahai Faith Light International School Sela Na’a Latu Principal of Queen Salote Free Wesleyan Church College Education System (FWC) Kavamone Fisi’ihoi Teachers Queen Salote College FWC Lola Baker Rev. Dr. Kalapoli Paongo President of Education FWC FWC Koli Takau Principal Hango Agricultural FWC College Peter Wood Volunteer, Hango Agricultural FWC College Staff and Students of Hango FWC Agricultural College Siu Fakasi’i’eiki Headmistress Hofangahau FWC College Kitale Oma Tu’uta Teacher Hofangahau College FWC Orlando Tupou Teacher Hofangahau College FWC Lopini Filise Principal Mailefihi Siulikutapu FWC College, Vava’u Sione Malieofa Mailefihi Siulikutapu College – FWC vocational programme, Vava’u Nathan G Matti (US Peace Mailefihi Siulikutapu College FWC Corps) –vocational programme, Vava’u Tui’pulotu Finau Taufa’ahau Pilolevu College, FWC Ha’apai Taniela Fiu Tongan Speaking Primary FWC Christopher Hogan English Speaking Primary FWC Luseane Fisi’ihoi Teachers: FWC Naule’o Vave Tutaleva Lolohea Life Skills Centre FWC Hu’ahulu Tupou, Mele Fainga’a, Afa Punou Sr. Kalo Sikimeti Director Catholic Education Catholic Education System System Sr. Sussan Principal ‘Ahopanilolo Catholic Education Technical College Makafalani Tatafu Principal ‘Apifo’ou College Catholic Education Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 161 Soane Kauhalanuia Deputy Principal ‘Apifo’ou Catholic Education College. Siolui Mailangi Principal, Chanel College, Catholic Education Vava’u Sinalelea Fe’ao Principal St Joseph Catholic Education Community College, Ha’apai Mele Taumoepeau Principal, Liahona High School Latter Day Saints Education System (LDS) Samisoni Uasila’a Principal Saineha High School LDS (Vava’u) Tesimale Latu Director SDA School System Seventh Day Adventist School System Pita Manu Principal Mizpah Adventist Seventh Day Adventist School Vava’u Lesieli Paongo, staff and ‘Ofahemo’oni Pre School, Tokaikolo Fellowship pupils Ha’apai Sr. Katy Kanongata’a Catholic Education Catholic Education Gladys Fonua Lavengamalie Tokailolo Fellowship Falasima Kautoke Catholic Education System Catholic Education Non Government Organisations Sr. Elizabeth Tonga Catholic Women's League ‘Eua NGO Betty Blake Catholic Women's League NGO Tevita Tupou Kindergarden Representative NGO ‘Eua Manitasi Leger Tonga National Youth NGO Congress Leah Mammino Australian National Youth Youth Ambassador Ambassador Lavinia Satini Coordinator Alonga Adult NGO Disabled Centre Tuna Fielakepa Deputy Chairperson NGO Langafonua (National Council of Women) Fuiva Kavaliku Langafonua ‘A Fafine Tonga NGO Tuleivina ‘Alofi Teacher Tonga Pre School NGO Association ‘Olivina ‘Asaeli Teacher Tonga Pre School NGO Association Colleen Moffatt US Peace Corps-Tonga Pre US Peace Corps School Association ‘Olivia Lokotui Teacher Tonga Pre School NGO Association Mrs Fifita Naupoto Teacher Tonga Pre School NGO Association Milika Ika Ha’apai Women's Group NGO Sr. Telesia Pre-School Association NGO Other Government Ministries Polotu Fakafanua Deputy Secretary and Head Prime Ministers Office Women and Development (PMO) Centre PMO Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 162 Paulo Kautoke Chief Secretary Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Labour, Commerce and Industries Industries Dr. Caroline T Fusimalohi Acting Director Central Central Planning Planning Department (CPD) ‘Isileli ‘Aholelei CPD Senior Economist CPD Viliami Liava’a CPD Economist-Population CPD Planner Lupeolo ‘Ofa CPD Aid Coordinator CPD Lusitania Latu CPD Economist CPD Sione Faeamani CPD Economist-Rural CPD Development Soana ‘Aloua-Lala CPD Senior Assistant Secretary CPD Taniela Sunia Soakai Snr. Health Planning Officer Ministry of Health ‘Ana Kavaefiafi Principal Queen Salote School Ministry of Health of Nursing Lt. Col. Tau’aika ‘Uta’atu Ministry of Defence Ministry of Defence Tevita Fifita Lt. Royal School of Science- Ministry of Defence Computer Training Centre Siaosi Veikune 2Lt. Finance Ministry of Defence Kilifi Mafile’o WO Instructor Ministry of Defence Maama Misi Lt. Administration Ministry of Defence Semisi Taumoepeau Director of Tourism, Tourism Ministry of Tourism Ministry Sione Moala Mafi Deputy Director Ministry of Ministry of Tourism Tourism Taniela Fusimalohi Deputy Director Ministry of Ministry of Tourism Tourism ‘Aisake Eke Secretary for Finance, Ministry Ministry of Finance of Finance Vika Fusimalohi Labour, Commerce and Labour, Commerce and Industries Industries Kelepi Makakaufaki Public Sector Reform Establishment Division Committee PMO Sione ‘Akau’ola Public Sector Reform Establishment Division Committee PMO Pulupaki Moala Public Sector Reform Establishment Division Committee PMO Meleoni Uera Public Sector Reform Establishment Division Committee PMO ‘Akanesi Taufa Public Sector Reform Establishment Division Committee PMO ‘Etina Kilisimasi Public Sector Reform Establishment Division Committee PMO Fanau’ifo’ou ‘Akau’ola Public Sector Reform Establishment Division Committee PMO Superintendent - Lola Police Training School, Ministry of Police Koloamatangi Ministry of Police Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 163 Lupeha’amoa ‘Ilaiu Acting Chief Secretary Prime Ministers Office @Secretary to Cabinet Samisoni Naupoto Agriculture Ministry Ministry of Agriculture (MAF) Vaimoana Mafi Agriculture (Women's Devpt) MAF Pisila Matafahi Ministry of Works Ministry of Works Tai’atu Cocker Sales/Marketing Director, Tonga Communications Tonga Communications Corp. Corporation Hakautapu Tonga Tonga Visitors Bureau Ministry of Tourism Longosai Alo Tonga Communications Tonga Communications Corporation ‘Eua Corp. Vaivevea Kamaloni MAF Officer in Charge ‘Eua MAF Silia Tuai Min Labour and Commerce, Ministry Labour, Officer in Charge ‘Eua Commerce and Industries Tevita Hu’akau Tonga Devpt. Bank, Branch Tonga Development Bank Manager ‘Eua Bruno Toke Tonga Visitors Bureau, Vava’u Ministry of Tourism Sapate Toke Labour and Commerce Vava’u Ministry Labour, Commerce and Industries Mele Kaipa Ma’ake CPD Senior Development CPD Project Officer, Ha’apai Seini Filiai Acting Government Statistician Tonga Government Donors Dain Simpson Director Tonga Tourism AusAID Project Rick Nicholls First Secretary (Development AusAID Cooperation) AusAID Stella Taupaki Education AusAID ‘Elina Maka European Union European Union Mele McDonald EU V.D.P. 111 European Union Giuliana Torta EU V.D.P. 111 European Union Patricia Kailola Tonga Fisheries Project Aus AID Karl Evans Tonga Tourism Project Aus AID Dianne Hendey NZAID In Country Training NZAID Manager Private Sector Robert Bolouri President of Tonga Camber of Private Sector Commerce Roger Miller Tonga Camber of Commerce Private Sector Lee Miller Treasurer of Tonga Camber of Private Sector Commerce Christine ‘Uta’atu Past President Tonga Camber Private Sector of Commerce ‘Ilaisa. Futa Helu ‘Atenisi Institute Private Education John Sim Harbour View Motel Private Sector Tapu Panuve Del Ltd/ CI Cruises Private Sector Gillian O’Connell Lagoon Lodge Private Sector Paul Johansson Friends Private Sector Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 164 Mana Latu Farmer Private Sector Naitilima Tupou Sea Star Fishing Co. Ltd Private Sector Pesi Fonua Vava’u Press Ltd. Private Sector Robert Bryce Ifo Ifo Café Vava’u Private Sector Pat McKee Kiwi Magic Vava’u Private Sector Sandra Croz Adventure Backpackers and Private Sector Target One Charters, Vava’u Tupou Silia Fonua Paradise International Hotel Private Sector Vava’u Malia Mailangi Paradise International Hotel Private Sector Vava’u Sybil Kuilboer Beluga Diving Vava’u Private Sector Hollie Marsden Sailing Safaris Vava’u Private Sector D.C. Coleman Marine Services Vava’u Private Sector ‘Alisi Mead President VTA Vava’u Tourist Association University of the South Pacific Salote Fukofuka Director USP Centre USP Tu’ipulotu Katoanga USP Centre USP Vika Lutui USP Centre USP South Pacific Board of Educational Assessment (SPBEA) Visesio Pongi Director South Pacific Board of SPBEA Educational Assessment Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 165 Appendix 4: Tonga Reference Group meetings 1. Reference Group Meeting Attendance 3 October 2002 3.0 p.m. at CDTC Viliami Takau (Chair) Director of Education Tonga MOE Vince Catherwood Tonga Education Sector Study Team Barry Cook Tonga Education Sector Study Team Christine Scott Tonga Education Sector Study Team Tupou Taufa Tonga Education Sector Study Team Dr Caroline T Fusimalohi Acting Director Central Planning David Russell St Andrew’s High School. Tesimale Latu Director SDA System Savelio ‘Atuekaho Director of Free Church of Tonga System Rev. Dr. Kalapoli Paongo President of Education FWC Paulo Kautoke Chief Secretary Labour, Commerce and Industries Tuna Fielakepa Deputy Chairperson Langafonua (National Council of Women) Alan Cains Principal Ocean of Light International Schools 2. Reference Group Meeting Attendance 15 October 2002 2.0 p.m. at CDTC Viliami Takau (Chair) Director of Education Tonga MOE Vince Catherwood Tonga Education Sector Study Team Barry Cook Tonga Education Sector Study Team Christine Scott Tonga Education Sector Study Team Tupou Taufa Tonga Education Sector Study Team Vika Fusimalohi Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries Sr. Kalo Sikimeti Director, Catholic Education System Jill Simpson Representative Lavengamalie Education System Savelio ‘Atuekaho Director of Free Church of Tonga System Trevor Simpson Principal St Andrew’s High School. Viliami Liava’a Central Planning Department Alan Cains Principal Ocean of Light International Schools Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 166 3. Reference Group Meeting Attendance 18 October 2002 3.0 p.m. at the Short Term Training Centre Viliami Takau (Chair) Director of Education Tonga MOE Vince Catherwood Tonga Education Sector Study Team Barry Cook Tonga Education Sector Study Team Christine Scott Tonga Education Sector Study Team Tupou Taufa Tonga Education Sector Study Team ‘Ilaisa Futa Helu Director, ‘Atenisi Institute Vika Fusimalohi Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries Paulo Kautoke Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries Siale A Puloka Deputy Director, Tonga Short Term Training Centre Lucy Moala Mafi Chief Education Officer, Administration and Secondary Divisions MOE Soana Aloua-Lala Central Planning Department Rev. Dr. Kalapoli Paongo President of Education FWC Dianne Hendey People and Projects Ltd. NZAID Consultant (ICT) Sr. Kalo Sikimeti Director, Catholic Education System Savelio ‘Atuekaho Director of Free Church of Tonga System Trevor Simpson Principal St Andrew’s High School. Viliami Liava’a Central Planning Department Alan Cains Principal Ocean of Light International Schools Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 167 4. Reference Group Meeting Attendance 9 December 2002 10 a.m. at Tonga High School National Form Seven Viliami Takau (Chair) Director of Education Tonga MOE Vince Catherwood Tonga Education Sector Study Team Barry Cook Tonga Education Sector Study Team Christine Scott Tonga Education Sector Study Team Tupou Taufa Tonga Education Sector Study Team ‘Ilaisa. Futa Helu Director, ‘Atenisi Institute Vika Fusimalohi Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries Siale A Puloka Deputy Director, Sport Rev. Dr. Kalapoli Paongo President of Education FWC Sr. Kalo Sikimeti Director, Catholic Education System Trevor Simpson Principal St Andrew’s High School. Viliami Liava’a Central Planning Department Alan Cains Principal Ocean of Light International Schools Gladys Fonua Representative Lavengamalie Education System Falasima Kautoke Catholic Education Tesimale Latu Director SDA System Sione Maumau Ministry of Education, Primary Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 168 5. Reference Group Meeting Attendance 20 February 2003 2.0 p.m. at Community Development and Training Centre Viliami Takau (Chair) Director of Education Tonga MOE Paulo Kautoke Chief Secretary Labour, Commerce and Industries Tupou Taufa Tonga Education Sector Study Team Savelio ‘Atuekaho Director of Free Church of Tonga System Sr. Kalo Sikimeti Director, Catholic Education System Mele Taumoepeau Principal Liahona High School Rev. Dr. Kalapoli Paongo President of Education FWC Hopoate Fatongia Representative SDA Education System Gladys Fonua Representative Lavengamalie Education System Kalolaine Moeaki Secretary Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 169 Appendix 5: List of Abbreviations ADB Asian Development Bank AusAID Australian Agency for International Development AUT Auckland University of Technology CDTC Community Development Training Centre CDU Curriculum Development Unit CPD Central Planning Department DECC Distance Education and Communications Centre Dip Ed Diploma in Education EU European Union FITA Friendly Islands Teachers’ Association FWC Free Wesleyan Church GDP Gross Domestic Product GPS Government Primary School HE Home Economics HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome HRD Human Resources Development IA Industrial Arts ICT Information and Communications Technology LDS Latter Day Saints MFAT Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand) MOE Ministry of Education (Tonga) MSC Management Services Consultant NCEA National Certificate of Educational Achievement (New Zealand) NGO Non-Government Organisation NZAID New Zealand Agency for International Development NZ New Zealand NZODA New Zealand Official Development Assistance (now NZAID) NZQA New Zealand Qualifications Authority NZUB New Zealand University Bursaries (Examination) NZVCC New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Ph D Doctor of Philosophy PSSC Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate PTA Parent Teacher Association RCC Roman Catholic Church SDA Seventh Day Adventist (Church) SDP7 Strategic Development Plan 7: 2001-2004 SEE Secondary Entrance Examination SPBEA South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment SRA Strategic Result Area SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats T$ Pa’anga (Tongan currency) TAFE Technical and Further Education TCC Tonga Chamber of Commerce TESS Tonga Education Sector Study THS Tonga High School TIHE Tonga Institute of Higher Education Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 170 TIOE Tonga Institute of Education TISP Tonga Institutional Strengthe ning Project TIST Tonga Institute of Science and Technology (formerly TMPI) TMPI Tonga Maritime and Polytechnic Institute (now TIST) TNQAB Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board TNYC Tonga National Youth Congress TOPNZ The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand TRG Tonga Reference Group TSC Tonga School Certificate TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund (originally United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) UNIFEM United Nations Development Fund for Women USA United States of America USP University of the South Pacific VTE Vocational and Technical Training WHO World Health Organisation Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 171 Appendix 6: Discussion Booklet, Response Sheet, and Analysis of Responses Tonga - Education Sector Study Discussion Booklet and Response Sheet 8 November 2002 Overview Ko ho faingamalie eni ke ke kau mai ai ki hono fokotu'utu'u 'o e ako ma'a Tonga. This is your opportunity to participate in shaping education for Tonga. The Government of Tonga, in association with the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID), has set up a Tonga Education Sector Study. This study has been set up in order to produce a foundation which assists with efficiency and effectiveness in educational planning and delivery and improved outcomes of future education in Tonga. The purpose of this Discussion Booklet is to gain further feedback from key stakeholders in Tonga. It has been developed by the Review Team that is undertaking the Tonga Education Sector Study. The Review Team (consisting of Vince Catherwood, Tupou Taufa, Christine Scott, Barry Cook) consulted a number of people in Tonga during October 2002, and circulated a questionnaire, to which over 300 people in Tonga responded. Consideration of the “Issues” in this Discussion Booklet is the next stage in the Study. (Please turn to page 24 of this booklet) Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 172 Curriculum Desired Outcomes The Tonga school curriculum: • provides the basis for students to be able to lead happy and healthy lives with a good knowledge of their culture, excellent thinking skills and the basic skills and knowledge needed to allow a choice of future careers; • is of high quality which promotes student achievement at a high level and meets individual and national needs; and • has a core of trained specialists in curriculum development and review processes in the Curriculum Development Unit. Analysis of the Curriculum The present curriculum provides students with good basic skills which may lead to success in further education as evidenced by success in overseas tertiary studies. An overarching curriculum framework which provides adequate guidelines for the overall scope and structure of the school curriculum from preschool level to Form 7 does not exist. Integration between the different components of the school curriculum is not apparent and leads to some fragmentation in curriculum delivery. Some of the formal curriculum statements are out-of-date, and need to be modernised and there are also some gaps in coverage. The shortage of resources leads to essentially didactic methods with few opportunities for practical skill development. The narrow curriculum is one of the main reasons for the mismatch between Tonga’s skill needs and the system outputs. Low status and resource constraints militate against the employment of more “hands-on”, practical teaching/learning strategies. The present curriculum neglects creative and artistic abilities to a large extent and the absence of the applications to real life of much of the knowledge taught/learnt leads to a mismatch between the country’s economic needs and students’ capabilities. Critical thinking and problem solving skills need to be specifically taught and given emphasis. Students are ill prepared for the “world of work”. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 173 Options Option 1: • undertake a major review, restructure and revision of the curriculum, leading to production of a curriculum framework and syllabi which explicitly state the required outcomes for students at each level from Pre-school to Form 7, focus on learning, reflect the goal outlined above, and is developed and owned by all teachers; • appoint a core group of trained and experienced curriculum development staff to permanent positions in the CDU; • establish the Tonga Curriculum Redevelopment Project within the CDU by appointing a team from within the education systems in Tonga with strong leadership and stability of membership; • seek donor assistance for experienced international consultant(s) to assist with planning and training in the review of the curriculum, and assist in training and rewriting syllabi with an outcomes focus; • redevelopment to take place over a five year period including development of an in-service programme for teachers. Option 2: • commence with a review of the Tonga curriculum using existing resources by producing an Overview Document (Stage 1) with an outcomes focus and incorporating a Pre-school curriculum; • in Stage 2, redevelop the Primary syllabi by incorporating a wider range of subjects/student abilities; • in Stage 3, redevelop the secondary curriculum building on the wider range of student abilities begun in primary; • short term international consultant assistance used to develop skills in outcomes-based curriculum writing; and • redevelopment timeframe for Option 2 would be five to six years. Option 3: • produce an overall framework document which ties together the different currently available syllabi and outlines for teachers the knowledge outcomes for each level; and • appoint a fulltime curriculum officer for one year with the specific task of producing an overarching document aimed at teachers. Option 4: • continue with the present curriculum and make only those changes required to reflect discontinuation of the NZ University Bursaries Examination. A decision on the replacement for the Bursaries examination is required in the short term. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 174 Assessment Desired Outcomes The Assessment System in Tonga: • promotes excellence in teaching and learning; • provides information for teachers to allow them to ensure each child performs to the best of her or his ability; • does not discriminate against any student; and • has a core of trained specialists in examinations processes in the Examinations Unit of the MOE. Analysis of the Assessment System The present assessment system distorts the teaching/learning process by concentrating on a narrow range of skills (an academic focus) which leads to rote memorisation, cramming, and a disproportionate number of repeaters and “dropouts”. The timing of the major selection examination, the Secondary Entrance Examination (SEE) at Class 6, may discriminate against boys and could be better placed at the end of Form 2. Repeaters distort the age and gender profiles of students at Class 6 and also distort the numbers of teachers required for delivery of primary education. Similarly, at Form 5, there are substantial resource implications resulting from one quarter of the students repeating the year. At Form 7 there appear few options other than to seek assistance from the South Pacific Board of Educational Assessment (SPBEA) in establishing an alternative curriculum and examination to the NZ University Bursaries examination to commence at the beginning of the 2004 school year. Expansion of the use of assessment instruments is required in all primary schools to assist with diagnosis of learning difficulties, associated with in- service training for teachers for follow-up remediation. There are resource constraints which inhibit the Ministry of Education from initiating and implementing desirable reforms of the assessment system. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 175 Options Option 1: • set up an Assessment Review Panel comprising MOE and SPBEA representative(s) to undertake a review of the present assessment system and become part of the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board for oversight of all examinations in Tonga; • abolish the SEE and progress all students automatically to Middle Schools (Forms 1 and 2) with an examination at the end of Form 2 to select students for entry to High Schools (Form 3 and above); • Middle Schools to be provided mainly by the church systems, and the Government subsidises/pays teachers’ salaries at these schools; • the existing Government High Schools cater only for Forms 3 to 7 and no new Government High Schools are established in the short term. Church High Schools to have the choice of catering for Forms 3 to 5 or 3 to 7 and specialise in a range of alternative courses. Church Schools are subsidised by the Government; • develop Assessment Instruments to be applied across the early primary years to assist with the diagnosis of learning difficulties; • appoint a core group of trained and experienced staff to permanent positions in the Examinations Unit; • rationalise the curriculum offerings at Forms 5, 6 and 7 before rationalising assessment. Option 2: • appoint a core group of trained and experienced staff to positions in the Examinations Unit and commence a review of the examinations system, with assistance from SPBEA; • produce a Strategic Plan which explores the implications of abolition of the SEE and provides a framework for its replacement at Form 2; • rationalise the curriculum at Forms 5, 6 and 7 then rationalise the secondary assessment system; • develop a new examination at Form 2 to assess a wider range of student abilities. Reform of the curriculum at Forms 1 and 2 would also be necessary. Option 3: • continue with the present assessment system and make only those changes required to reflect changes forced by the discontinuation of the NZ University Bursaries examination after 2003; • Decide on the replacement for the NZ University Bursaries examination as early as possible in the 2003 school year. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 176 Languages & Literacy Desired Outcomes • Students in early childhood centres will develop proficiency in the Tongan language; • Primary school students will develop proficiency in oral & written Tongan language, and will have developed sound oral & written skills in English by the end of Class 6; • Students in secondary schools will have well developed oral and written skills both in Tongan & in English by the time they leave school. • All people in Tonga will be proficient in oral & written skills in Tongan and English. Analysis The census data shows a good standard of literacy is achieved in Tonga. The Tongan education system emphasises the primacy of literacy in schooling. There is a need for earlier diagnostic tests to assess students’ language proficiency near the age of school entry, and to take appropriate remedial action if students have not acquired fundamental language skills. Two key principles underpin policy on languages and literacy: (1) effective education builds on the child’s early learning in the mother tongue; (2) literacy in the first language is needed before the introduction of reading and writing in the second language can take place. While Tongan is more important in the early years, English becomes of equal importance by the time secondary school is reached. There is room for improvement in the teaching of literacy. Too many children still struggle with basic reading skills, and several are still unable to write a coherent sentence in English. Secondary school examination results suggest that students’ ability to use English needs to improve. The key to achieving good student achievement in literacy is the development of high standards of literacy and effective literacy teaching methodologies by teachers, both in Tongan and in English. Good reading materials are also needed to assist classroom teachers in developing literacy. The Review Team did not find any objective external data which gives a definitive assessment of the performance of Tongan students in literacy and numeracy at specified levels of the school system against objective international benchmarks derived from other Pacific Islands nations. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 177 Options Option 1: • Tonga will adopt a comprehensive policy on languages, literacy, bilingualism, and the language of instruction; • All schools will follow bilingual teaching methodologies that recognise Tongan as the first language of the majority of students. Basic literacy will be established in Tongan before the introduction of English; • Diagnostic instruments will be used at an early stage of primary schooling to identify students with literacy problems; • Primary school teachers will be adequately trained and appropriately skilled to meet the stated Tongan and English language objectives; • Development and distribution of learning resources (graded readers and quality books) in both Tongan and English will be a priority; • Instruction in Tongan will be provided in primary schools up to the end of Class 3. Both Tongan and English will be used as the languages of instruction in Classes 4 to 6. English will be the main language of instruction in secondary schools; • Tonga Side School will be privatised (full cost fees will be required). Option 2: • A programme will be undertaken to strengthen the development of literacy teaching skills, and to provide learning resources to develop literacy in Tongan and in English; • The Ministry of Education will make available a supply of good quality books, both in Tongan and in English; • Significant investment will be made in developing early childhood and primary teacher skills in literacy in both Tongan and English; • Investment will be made in the development of suitable learning materials by writers fluent in Tongan who are also competent teachers knowledgeable about the curriculum; • Resourcing will be needed to fund a supply of good quality books; • Primary schools may offer instruction in Tongan, or in English, or both. Option 3: • Existing education policy on languages, literacy and bilingualism will be maintained; • Existing practice to support literacy initiatives, and to identify the bilingual literacy development needs of teachers, will continue; • Existing initiatives to support literacy will be maintained. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 178 Equity and Access (Including Pre-School Education, Special Education (physical and intellectual disabilities), Youth Support, Non-Formal Community Education and Second Chance Education) Desired Outcomes § Tonga has an education system that ensures equal access to pre-school education and education and training for those with special needs; § Education is supported as a life long process and systems allow for second chance and continuing education and training. Analysis Current policy is that pre-school and special education are largely parental responsibilities. The Tonga Government is aware of the importance of pre-school and special education, but, owing to limited resources, has been unable to fund these areas directly. Existing community, church and voluntary efforts could benefit from further co- ordination and support to provide access to services in all areas. Pre-school education is important for laying the foundation for primary schooling. To ensure the educational, social and physical welfare of all children, decisions are required regarding possible government registration, regulation and support of pre-school education. There is also potential to further support community-based early childhood education that recognises parents and families as first teachers. Many children and adults with special needs (disabilities) do not have access to formal education. A national survey and needs analysis would, as a first step, identify those people with special needs in order to coordinate and support community initiatives and plan for future services. There is concern in Tonga about the number of young people who leave school early without formal qualifications or employment, and the potential threat this poses to social order. Development of a national policy framework and strategies would enhance Youth Support activities. Education is a life long process with people learning at any age as needs and opportunities arise. However, barriers exist for people who leave school early or who wish to return as adults to formal schooling. Further efforts need to be made to identify the training needs of women and those not in paid employment, and to address adult literacy needs. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 179 Options 1. Pre-School Education and Special Education Option 1: • MOE formally supports pre-school education with a number of strategies including: registering pre-schools; developing a curriculum and resources; providing pre-service and in-service teacher training at TIOE; providing a subsidy for pre-school education; and supporting the development of new centres in areas where there is no provision; • MOE formally supports special education with resources and by developing policy for the establishment of special classes and assistance for special needs children in existing schools and for adults in the community. Option 2: • MOE contributes to the development of pre-school and special education indirectly through teacher training programmes and curriculum development from within its existing divisions; • Tonga Government supports access to USP courses in early childhood education and disability support for people wishing to work in these areas in the community. Option 3: • A Parents as First Teachers advisory service is established to stimulate early childhood education in the home and in the local community; • A national working party is formed to survey and co-ordinate special education initiatives in Tonga. 2. Lifelong Education Option 1: • Establish a national policy framework for lifelong education, which includes annual programmes for youth support, re-entry to formal schooling for early leavers and adults, and an adult literacy programme. Option 2: • Support the return to formal education through USP preliminary and foundation courses; • MOE establishes needs and actively expands existing community and continuing education, including short-term training programmes. Option 3: • Explore opportunities to develop life and work skill modules that can be undertaken in homes and villages, using radio and distance learning methods, combined with local mentoring support. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 180 Vocational and Technical Education Desired Outcomes • Strengthened and expanded institutions and programmes with widened access to vocational/technical education (VTE) and responsiveness to industry needs; • Greater coordination and synergy between secondary and post- secondary VTE to achieve efficient use of resources and clear pathways. Analysis There is a variety of VTE provision in many sub-sectors in Tonga, but it is uncoordinated, requiring a national organisational structure and systematic links with industry. Industry reports gaps in the technical skills of the workforce. Without a framework for VTE programmes and qualifications at both secondary and post secondary levels, it is difficult for students to transfer (staircase) or gain cross-credits within and between sectors. Tonga requires a system for the approval of programmes, accreditation of providers, quality assurance and audit, which includes close links with relevant industries. There are barriers within the secondary sector to students wishing to access quality VTE options. Alternative school-based programmes are growing in number and popularity, but in general VTE appears to suffer from a lack of esteem with parents and students. Students repeat years of schooling or ‘drop-out’ when a more vocational/technical programme might offer a chance of success. The review of the secondary curriculum in Industrial Arts (IA) and Home Economics (HE) requires considerable additional work, including development of teacher and student resources and teacher in-service training. There is a range of buildings and equipment, but little sharing of resources and in most instances significant gaps in physical facilities and equipment for VTE. Providers indicate a need to improve training and teacher supply in vocational/technical education at all levels. (Go to page 15) Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 181 Tonga Education Sector Study - Response Sheet Please fill in this Response Sheet, detach it from the rest of the Discussion Booklet, and send it in to Tupou Taufa at the Ministry of Education in Nuku’alofa by Tuesday December 3 2002. The responses received will be assessed by the Review Team, and used to determine the shape and nature of their Final Report, and the key directions of the proposed Education Strategic Plan for Tonga. 1. Curriculum. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Comment___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ 2. Assessment. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 3. Languages & Literacy. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 182 4A. Equity & Access. Pre-School Education and Special Education. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 4B. Equity & Access. Lifelong Education. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 5A. Technical/Vocational Education. Secondary School VTE. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 183 5B. Technical/Vocational Education. Co-ordination and Teacher Training for VTE. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 6. Teacher Education. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 7. Post-Secondary Education. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 184 8A. Human Resource Development Issues. Identification of HRD priorities for Tonga. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 8B. Human Resource Development Issues. Education/Training through Scholarships to meet HRD Needs. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 9. Management & Control of Education. Tick in the space below your preferred option. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Comment:__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Please return this response sheet to Tupou Taufa, Ministry of Education, Nuku’alofa, by Tuesday December 2, 2002. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 185 Options: Secondary School VTE Option 1: • MOE initiates and resources the development of a technical stream in secondary schools to provide a viable and legitimate pathway to equivalent school qualifications (e.g. Tonga School Certificate) for students who wish to study practical subjects. This would include a comprehensive review of the existing curricula, the range of subjects available, assessment, resources, teacher training and student materials; • A more comprehensive review of the curriculum than is currently being undertaken for IA and HE, and the addition of further subjects to the curriculum. Schools may specialise in some technology areas. Option 2: • MOE supports the development of school-based alternative pathways or technical streams for students and ensures recognition of these programmes by the TNQAB to provide ‘staircasing’ to further VTE; • MOE continues with the revision of IA and HE for Forms 1-5 and Agricultural Science for Form 5, currently being undertaken by the Curriculum Unit. This option would allow students to follow either an industry-based pathway or a traditional school pathway in VTE subjects. Option 3: • No change. Co-ordination and Teacher Training for VTE Option 1: • Establish the TNQAB as a statutory body to provide strategic direction, co-ordination and quality assurance for a qualifications system of post-compulsory education and training in Tonga. Ensure industry input into VTE content, training standards, quality assurance and audit; • Identify possible teachers of VTE and provide further training pathways; • Upgrade facilities and resources for VTE. Option 2: • Establish and maintain a register of providers of VTE and publish and promote awareness of pathways in VTE; • Provide some specialist in-service training for teachers, develop and introduce a part-time training course for post-secondary teachers of VTE, and support enhanced access to scholarships for VTE teachers. Option 3: • Continue with the current pattern of provision and support. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 186 Teacher Education Desired Outcomes Teacher education: • promotes excellence in teaching/ learning and supplies an adequate number of teachers for the country’s needs; • Tonga Institute of Education (TIOE) becomes an integral part of the Tonga Institute of Higher Education (TIHE) sharing enhanced human and physical resources, administrative functions and physical infrastructure; • A core of trained specialists in teacher education is established and maintained at TIOE; • Teacher education specialists are accessible to the various education systems for assistance with in-service delivery, curriculum review and development and examinations expertise. Analysis of Teacher Education Teacher education is the most important locus of expertise in an education system as teacher education can influence a whole generation of teachers. TIOE appears to be producing high quality beginning teachers who generally meet the needs of the education systems in Tonga. The quality of beginning teachers appears to be compromised to a large extent by the inadequate resources at TIOE available for teaching of specialised subjects. There are concerns about the lack of stability of TIOE staff, with many who have been specifically trained under TISP having left, are planning to leave, or have been moved to other positions. A viable core of trained and experienced teacher educators should be developed and retained at TIOE. Course offerings could be tailored more closely to the needs of the education systems. A variety of pathways for training of existing untrained and/or uncertificated teachers in the different systems should be investigated. TIOE should be separated from the MOE, ideally under the umbrella of the TIHE, with adequate resources, a stable core of trained staff, and sufficient autonomy and access to information to proactively assess and meet the needs of the various education systems in Tonga. The numbers and designation of the places in courses being offered at TIOE need to be more closely aligned to the needs of the system. Wider criteria other than academic results should be used for selection into those places. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 187 Options Option 1: • improve the offerings of in-service training for all teachers in the various education systems; • bring TIOE, along with the Nursing School, TIST and CDTC, under the umbrella of the TIHE with the budget allocation, autonomy and dedicated staff necessary to produce a viable higher education institution; • build collegiality, higher status and increased stability of staffing in TIOE, increasing administrative savings, as part of the TIHE; • an independent TIOE plans its place and course offerings to more closely match the needs of the various education systems; • select students for entry to TIOE on the basis of a commitment to teaching in addition to academic performance. Option 2: • form an In-service Development Group with teachers from all systems and MOE officers to produce an overall In-service Plan; • grant TIOE more autonomy by separating it from the MOE in a structural and budgetary sense so that it can operate more effectively in carrying out its core functions; • appoint a stable core of trained and competent staff with planning skills and retain them at TIOE; • a more independent TIOE should plan the number of places and courses it offers to more closely match the needs of the various education systems; • select students for entry on the basis of a commitment to teaching in addition to academic performance. Option 3: • continue with the present system under which TIOE is a part of MOE and make only those changes required to provide greater staff stability and to better match places and courses with the needs of the various education systems in Tonga; • allow more autonomy for the Principal of TIOE, with consequent planning and budgetary flexibility, to allow TIOE to be more proactive in offering courses and places for students on an annual basis; and • select students for entry on the basis of a commitment to teaching in addition to academic performance. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 188 Post-Secondary Education This section covers post-secondary education in general. Vocational and technical education and teacher education are given specific focus in additional sections. Desired Outcomes • A coordinated national system of post-secondary education with adequate provision to meet the needs of Tonga’s society and economy; • The system is characterised by equity, quality, relevancy and efficiency; • Qualifications are internationally accredited and recognised; • Limited resources are not dissipated through unnecessary duplication of services. Analysis There is a significant number of providers of post-secondary education in Tonga, but little provision outside of Tongatapu. Financial efficiencies, and non-financial benefits, could be achieved through the merger and location on one campus of all Tonga Government (TGov) funded (including Nursing and Health Studies) post-secondary education. Possibilities for library and information technology services, adult and continuing education and teacher training of post-secondary teachers would be enhanced by this development. Autonomy of governance for a TGov combined post-secondary education institute could be seen as a step towards the establishment of a national university in the future. The increased use of technology to access learning and recognised qualifications can be a cost effective way to achieve higher education outcomes in Tonga. Although a number of articulation arrangements provide benchmarks with overseas qualifications, the lack of a framework for post-secondary education makes it difficult for students to transfer (staircase) within post-secondary education. Systems are needed for programme approval, accreditation, quality assurance and audit within post-secondary education and training. Resourcing post-secondary education is costly, and the further development of cost sharing partnerships among students, providers, employers, and government is required. The proposed introduction of a student loan scheme needs careful consideration before any scheme is implemented. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 189 Options Option 1: • Immediately co-ordinate existing government post-secondary education institutes (including Nursing and Health Studies) under a single administration. This could become the Tonga Institute of Higher Education (TIHE) and be a stage towards the development of a national university for Tonga; • Move to establish an autonomous governing body for (TIHE) reporting directly to the Minister of Education and representative of key stakeholders in post-secondary education; • Establish the Tonga National Qualifications and Accreditation Board (TNQAB) as a statutory body reporting through the Minister of Education, to provide a framework for post compulsory education and training in Tonga and to implement quality assurance and audit for the sector; • Support further articulation agreements with international institutions and maximise the use of technology to facilitate on-line and distance education; • These combined actions will allow the development of a robust, internationally recognised national tertiary education sector. Changes in legislation will be required to implement this option. Option 2: • Establish a representative working party (including USP) to examine the nation’s longer-term needs for infrastructure and systems for post- secondary education and training and to develop a plan for post- secondary education; • Establish and maintain a register of providers of post-secondary education; • Publish and promote awareness of the pathways in existing post- secondary provision and between secondary and post-secondary provision; • Support further articulation agreements with international institutions and maximise the use of technology to facilitate on-line and distance education. Option 3: • Continue with the existing pattern of development. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 190 Human Resource Development (HRD) Issues Desired Outcomes • A well-educated population. • A highly skilled work force. • Investment in the development of people, with a focus on youth. Analysis The Government’s commitment to education is expressed in the priority for education in the 2002/2003 Budget. The Ministry of Education is not the only agency responsible for human resource development in Tonga: everyone must play a role in human resource development, including other Government departments, industry, churches, and the community. Facilitation of private sector growth is essential in order to achieve economic growth. Without growth in the private sector, unemployment will rise and more young people will be at risk. Achievement of economic growth through the private sector requires the development of skills in order to find and create jobs, such as • foundation skills (literacy, numeracy, attendance, teamwork); • work readiness, work habits, work ethic, self motivation; • enterprise, innovation, initiative, problem solving, creativity; • interpersonal skills/customer service; • learning, thinking and adaptability skills. The development of a skilled and competent labour force cannot occur without an investment in education and training. The training required needs to occur on the job, as well as in institutions. Investment in human resource development (HRD), that is, an investment in people, will help a shift towards private sector led growth to occur, so that Tongan people take charge of their own destiny. Systematic training to meet national human resource priorities needs to occur. Scholarships need to be targeted at private sector needs (as well as the public sector) in order to serve the national interest. There is a need for a stronger focus on career planning in schools, so that students can assess their own interests, skills and competencies, and can (with their parents) become aware of the range of career options available. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 191 Identification of HRD priorities for Tonga. Option 1: • Undertake an independent, comprehensive and systematic national training needs analysis in order to determine the scope and direction of Tonga’s future training needs, and target resources to those needs; • A national plan setting out key priorities for the country’s HRD will be developed and agreed, and investment will be made in training people with the skills needed to meet the country’s priority needs; • Change the focus of training from gaining qualifications overseas to gaining them in Tonga; • Effective partnerships between industry and tertiary education providers will be established. Option 2: • Assess national training needs centrally, using surveys and currently available data. More emphasis will be placed on short-term upskilling, and training courses will be made available within Tonga. Option 3: • Continue as at present. There will be little change from present approaches. Employers will recruit and train workers from the people available in the work force. Education/Training through Scholarships to meet HRD Needs Option 1: • Review the system of allocating scholarships to ensure that future national HRD needs are being met through more rapid responsiveness to emerging requirements; • Recipients may need to apply for scholarships in identified priority areas to meet national training needs, and to ensure that private sector needs can be met. Option 2: • Award scholarships solely on the basis of academic merit. Skilled people may not be trained to meet identified national needs. Option 3: • Develop an in-country training system that enables people to train in Tonga. Train more people in Tonga who will contribute their skills to the kingdom. Overseas education and training on scholarships would be available only if the type of study was in the national interest. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 192 Management & Control of Education Desired Outcomes • Improved delivery of education and training. • Improved student achievement. • Improved efficiency and effectiveness of resource use in education. Analysis The strong central control by the Ministry of Education creates a culture of dependency. Individuals refer decisions to higher authority that should be decided at a lower level (e.g. approval for leave for Ministry officers). Communities have little say in the appointment of Principals. Principals of schools do not decide who is appointed to their staff. The current system of appointments to teaching positions in Government schools reserves jobs for a restricted pool of possible staff. Maintenance in schools is neglected. There is a need to devolve authority for decision- making away from the centre to an appropriate delegated level in order to improve decision-making and strengthen accountability. The Public Sector Reform Programme will include the establishment of a Public Service Commission, which will bring the Ministry of Education within its authority. In association with a policy of devolution in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness, management needs to be strengthened. A programme of leadership training for School Principals needs to be developed. Tertiary institutions need to be given more autonomy in order to protect academic freedom and to ensure the efficient and effective use of resources. The central Ministry of Education bureaucracy needs to be restructured, with a view to appropriate devolution of some responsibilities. There is a need to strengthen its policy development and policy analysis roles. The management of the education property portfolio by the Ministry of Education needs to be strengthened. A balance needs to be struck between the proportion of funds spent on salaries and that devoted to operations. A policy to reflect the contribution made by all the education systems, including the Churches, should be implemented. Trade-offs will be needed to develop a policy that recognises the Government’s wider responsibility for education and supports the valuable contribution made to education by the non-Government education systems. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 193 Option 1: • Make major changes; • Develop a national system of education in Tonga, with national guidelines, in which the Government undertakes responsibility for oversight of the whole education system, including “drop-outs” and early school leavers, but devolves more responsibility to schools and their communities for day to day operations; • Restructure the Ministry of Education so that its policy development role is strengthened, its administrative structure meets these new national requirements, and its efficiency is increased. Strengthen its capability by improvements in management, financial management, information management and analysis, and forecasting and planning; • Develop a National Education Strategic Plan. Foster partnerships between Government and non-Government sectors (Govt subsidises operational costs, churches provide facilities). Reform the national distribution of funds for education. Reform staffing arrangements; • Extend more autonomy to School Principals by a trial of the devolved system of Boards of Trustees to manage Government schools (as used by a number of non-Government schools); • Produce a co-ordinated national strategic plan for school property development and investment; • Establish a national network of schooling provision, based on principles of access, efficiency and effectiveness. Option 2: • Make minor changes; • Maintain the separate dual system of education delivery by Government and the Church education systems, but begin to devolve some responsibility within the Government sector towards increased school-based management and shared community responsibility; • Confirm Government responsibility for funding education provision in the compulsory sector at Forms 1 & 2 levels; • Develop and implement clear written policy guidelines for devolution of central responsibility on issues such as staffing, funding, and assessment. Option 3: • Make little or no change. Keep the same (or similar) management structure in the Ministry of Education. • Similar arrangements to the present system, with strong central control, would be maintained. Operational decisions would continue to be made centrally. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 194 (continued from page 1 of the Discussion Booklet) The Discussion Booklet describes nine key “issues” for discussion and feedback. These nine issues have been identified as key priorities by the Review Team, as a result of the consultation undertaken through the questionnaires and interviews in Tonga during October 2002. These “Issues” papers set out some options on which the Review Team wishes to receive comment and feedback from people in Tonga. The nine issues identified are: • Curriculum; • Assessment; • Languages & Literacy; • Equity & Access; • Technical & Vocational Education; • Teacher Education; • Post-Secondary Education; • Human Resource Development Issues; • Management & Control of Education. Please read the nine attached “Issues” papers within this Discussion Booklet. Then record your views and preferences about the options presented on the Response Sheet (the “pull-out” sheet consisting of the middle pages (pages 11, 12, 13 & 14) of this Discussion Booklet). In order to encourage discussion, two copies of this Discussion Booklet have been provided to each school, one for the Principal and one to attach to the Staff Notice Board. Each school is asked to hold a meeting to consider and debate the nine issues, to decide which option is preferred for each of the nine issues, and to return one agreed Response Sheet to Tupou Taufa. Similarly, Ministries, administrators of education systems, and other organisations are asked to return one agreed Response Sheet. Please pull out and return the Response Sheet to Tupou Taufa at the Ministry of Education in Nuku’alofa by Tuesday December 3, 2002. The responses received to these “Issues” papers will be assessed by the Review Team, and used to determine the shape and nature of their Final Report, and the future key directions of the proposed Education Strategic Plan for Tonga. Your cooperation and support is appreciated. Malo 'aupito. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 195 Tonga Education Sector Study - Response Sheet Summary of Responses (N=62) 1. Curriculum. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 43 7 8 4 2. Assessment. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 37 21 3*1 3. Languages & Literacy. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 35 20 7 4A. Equity & Access. Pre-School Education and Special Education. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 31 19 12 4B. Equity & Access. Lifelong Education. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 32 13 17 5A. Technical/Vocational Education. Secondary School VTE. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 39 19 1*3 5B. Technical/Vocational Education. Co-ordination & Teacher Tr for VTE. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 46 14 1*1 6. Teacher Education. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 30 22 10 7. Post-Secondary Education. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 43 13 5*1 8A. Human Resource Development Issues. HRD priorities for Tonga. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 52 6 4 8B. HRD Issues. Education/Training through Scholarships to meet HRD Needs. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 43 3 16 9. Management & Control of Education. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 47 14 1 Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 196 Appendix 7: Questionnaires TONGA - EDUCATION SECTOR STUDY Questionnaire – English Version Note: If you are completing this questionnaire as an employer or interested citizen, you need only complete Questions 6 to 10. All information collected for this study will be kept strictly confidential. Your gender: Female Male (please circle one) Your role: Parent Student Teacher Administrator Employer Interested citizen (please circle one) The organisation you (or your children) attend/ work in is ( e.g. MOE primary school, Catholic High School, TIOE, etc): Your Organisation 1. What do you see as the strengths of your school/ organisation/ division? 2. What do you see as the weaknesses of your school/ organisation/ division? 3. In what areas could the system in your school/ organisation be improved to allow students to better achieve their goals? 4. How could the curriculum that is currently operating in your school/ organisation better meet the needs of students? 5. How could the assessment system in your school/ organisation better meet the needs of the students? (Please turn over) Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 197 The Tonga Education System 6. How well do you believe the education system in Tonga serves the interests of the people? (Tick one box) Very well Well Reasonably Poorly Very poorly Comment: 7. What do you see as the strengths of the Tonga education system? 8. What do you see as the weaknesses of the Tonga education system? 9. What should be the priorities for the improvement of the Tonga education system? 10. How could the Tonga education system be improved to allow more students to gain employment? 11. Any other comments? Thank you for your assistance in this study. Please return the completed questionnaire by Friday October 11 2002 to Mrs Tupou Taufa at the Ministry of Education, P O Box 61, Nuku’alofa. Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 198 Questionnaire – Tongan Version FEKUMI KI HE SEKITOA AKO 'A TONGA TOKANGA'I: Kapau ko ha pulengaue pe tokotaha mahu'inga'ia pe koe 'i he ako', pea ke kataki 'o fakakakato pe 'a e Fehu'I 6 ki he 11. Ko e ngaahi fakamatala kotoa 'e tatanaki me'i he fekumi' ni 'e matua'aki fu'u fakapulipuli 'aupito hono tauhi. Ko ho tu'unga': Tangata / Fefine (Kataki siakale'i e taha) Ko ho vaha'angatae': Matu'a, tokotaha ako, faiako, puleako, pule ngaue, tokotaha mahu'inga'ia he ako'. (Kataki siakale'i e taha pe) Ko e kautaha 'oku ke kau ki ai': 'alu ki ai/pe ngaue ai (pe ko ho'o fanau') hange ko e Lautohi Pule'anga', 'Ako Ma'olunga 'a e Katolika, Kolisi Faiako pe ha fua) Ko E Kautaha 1. 'I ho'o vakai', ko e ha 'a e ngaahi malohinga ho 'apiako'/kautaha/va'a? 2. Ko e ha ha'o vakai ki he ngaahi vaivai'anga 'o ho'o 'apiako'/kautaha'/va'a? 3. Ko e ha ha ngaahi feitu'u ke fakalelei'i 'i ho 'apiako/kautaha' ke toe leleiange ai hono maa'usia 'e he kauako' 'enau ngaahi taumu'a'? 4. 'Oku fetaulaki fefe 'a e ngaahi fiema'u fakaako 'a e kauako' 'i he silapa' 'oku lolotonga ngaue'aki 'i ho 'apiako'/kautaha'? 5. 'Oku fetaulaki fefe 'a e founga sivi 'i ho 'apiako'/kautaha' pea mo e ngaahi fiema'u 'a e kauako'? (Kataki fulihi hake) Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 199 Ko e Founga Ako 'a Tonga' 6. 'Oku' ke tui 'oku tokanga'i 'e he Founga Ako 'a Tonga 'a e manako 'a e kakai? (Tiki e puha pe taha) Sai 'aupito Sai pe Saisai pe Kovi Kovi 'aupito Fakamatala: 7. Ko e ha ha'o vakai ki ha ngaahi malohinga 'o e Founga Ako 'a Tonga? 8. Ko e ha ha'o vakai ki ha ngaahi vaivai'anga 'o e Founga Ako 'a Tonga? 9. Ko e ha ha ngaahi me'a 'e fakamu'omu'a ke leleiange ai 'a e Founga Ako 'a Tonga? 10. 'E fakalelei fefe 'a e Founga Ako 'a Tonga' ke toe tokolahi ange ai 'a e kauako 'e ngaue'? 11. 'Oku 'i ai ha toe fakamatala kehe? Malo 'aupito ho'o tokoni'. Kataki fakafoki 'a e pepa fehu'i'ni 'i he pe kimu'a he 'aho 11 'o 'Okatopa' kia Tupou Taufa, Potungaue Ako', Puha 61, Nuku'alofa Final Report: Tonga – Education Sector Study. March 2003. 200
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