Teachers in Training attain their teaching qualifications.

Congratulations to all the graduating teachers in training! Your hard work, dedication, and passion for education have brought you to this significant milestone. As you step into your roles as educators, remember that you hold the power to inspire and shape the future of countless young minds. Your journey has prepared you not only with knowledge and skills but with the compassion and commitment needed to make a lasting impact.

The Solomon Islands celebrates your achievement today and looks forward to the incredible difference you will make in the lives of your students. Well done, and best wishes as you embark on this noble profession!

A total of 174 teachers In Training (TIT) who have pursued the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) Training Program have graduated with certificates, diplomas and graduate diplomas in teaching.

These teachers were part of the graduates who attended the graduation ceremony organized by SINU on Wednesday 22 August, 2024 at the Seventh Day Church Maranatha Hall in East Honiara.

Of the total, 29 teachers graduated with Certificates in Teaching (Primary), 95 graduated with Diplomas in Teaching (Secondary) and 50 graduated with Graduate Diplomas in Education.

Not only is this a significant achievement for teachers who have had no teaching qualifications but also for the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) and the SINU for the collaborative approach taken to ensure teachers in the country are continually supported in their professional development and training. Global research in education to date shows that the single critical factor that impacts students’ learning is the teachers. When teachers are prepared well for their teaching responsibilities, they can make a difference in their students’ performances.

The Teachers-in-Training project was made possible through the MEHRD contract agreement with SINU which facilitated the Certificate in Teaching Primary, Diploma Teaching in Secondary, and Graduate Diploma in Education under the Teachers in Training Program.

The project was funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign and Trade (MFAT) through the Education Sector Support Program (ESSP).

A similar contract agreement engaged the University of the South Pacific (USP), Solomon Islands Campus to facilitate training for the first cohort of primary TIT. A total of 110 teachers graduated with certificates in teaching (primary) in 2023.

The training of TIT is linked to the Ministry’s National Education Action Plan (2022-2026) strategic goal of improving the quality and relevance of education. This policy framework emphasizes the recruitment of qualified teachers – persons who have a minimum academic qualification required for teaching their subjects at the relevant level.

MEHRD also emphasizes that teachers should have sufficient pedagogical training which encompasses educational theory, teaching methods, child development, classroom management, and assessment in addition to focused study in languages, mathematics, and sciences.

-MEHRD edited by iumi stori