The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) on Monday 21 October 2024 has officially launched its five-year System Transformation Education Program.
The program is supported by financial assistance recently approved by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to help the MEHRD strengthen its education system in the country.
GPE is the only global fund for education that brings together 59 developing countries with low incomes by donor governments. The GPE, which is worth SDB$54 million, and is funded under the System Transformation Grant was officially launched by Minister of Education, Hon. Tozen Leokana, New Zealand High Commissioner Jonathan Schwass and UNICEF Chief Field Officer Benjamin Grubb.
Also attending the launch were Anna Selby from the UNESCO Regional Officer in Suva, Fiji, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) representative, Guadalcanal Provincial Government and Honiara City Council representatives.
Addressing at the launching event, Minister Hon. Leokana said the program supported by GPE will help his ministry to finance activities and projects that aim to make better use of data across the education system, providing training to teachers to help them teach more effectively than in the past years.
He said teachers will be provided with new curriculum materials including textbooks on the subjects for students.
“This will strengthen further access to curriculum materials including online resources that my ministry is aiming to make readily accessible to teachers and students,” Minister Leokana said.
He also highlighted that the System Transformation Grant is aligned with the new Education Legislative Framework, which comprises of the Education Act, Regulations, Learning Framework, Education Funding Code and Administrative Instructions.
He said the passing of the Education Act late last year and the start of its implementation – this year, brings a new framework on how education is led, managed, coordinated and supported across all provinces under the existing reform program.
He said developments are occurring across many parts of the education sector including the new initiatives being developed for Early Childhood Education, curriculum development, school infrastructure and a new project to support the improvement of Senior Secondary Education funded by ADB.
He said his ministry is also undertaking a Mid-Term Review of the National Education Action Plan 2022-2026 – after implementing it for more than 2.5 years.
“This review is intended to help inform our decisions and actions for implementation of the rest of the reform activities, projects and programs until the plan is concluded at the end of 2026,” he said.
Solomon Islands is the first Pacific Island country to be awarded the System Transformation Grant.
The four key reforms under GPE financial support are; (1) Teacher Management System, (2) School Leadership and Management, (3) Teacher Professional Learning and (3) Development and Curriculum (Learning Framework), (4) Student assessment, and teaching and learning resources.
Meanwhile, Minister Leokana acknowledged the education partners, UNICEF and New Zealand MFAT in collaboration with Education Development Partnership Coordinating Group under the leadership of Permanent Secretary Dr. Franco Rodie for successfully securing the grant. UNICEF is the current grant agent and New Zealand MFAT is the coordinating agent.
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