Pacific Pride
Issue 14
The Newsletter of the PRIDE Project
February 2009
In this Issue:
From the PRIDE Director:
in this issue provides a snapshot of development, access, equity,
From the PRIDE Team Leader
1
what four countries are doing in
Curriculum development in RMI
1 T
his issue contains a taste of
what Ministers of Education,
quality, culture and language,
senior education personnel, the area of TVET curriculum non-formal education, tools
donors and development part
d
ner e v e l o p m e n t ( T o k e l a u ) , for the enhancement of
can expect in Tonga in the la
development of indigenous
st
learning and capacity building.
Small but significant steps in the
2 week of March this year. And that curriculum materials for upper These cut across ECCE,
sand: IE in Samoa
is evidence of the impact of PRIDE primary and junior secondary primary and secondary levels
on the delivery and quality of basic grades (RMI), capacity building of and include TVET and IE.
Cook Islands Performing Arts
3 education in the fifteen participating teachers in culture and performing I n s i g h t s a n d
countries.
arts (Cook Islands) and the understandings gleaned from
Demonstrating evidence of development of an integrated

the conference and showcase
TVET in Tokelau
4 impact, particularly long-term inc
lusive education system (Samoa). exhibition in terms of benefits
impacts, is fraught with difficulties. Sharing and showcasing best and beneficiaries, sustainability
Education News in brief
4
As the recent FBEAP Review (PIFS, practice in Pacific education is the of impact, implementation
2009: 36) points out, ‘measuring th
eme of the PRIDE 10th regional challenges and lessons learned
the precise longer term impact of a conference and exhibition that will will be shared in the next few
development initiative such as take p

lace in Nuku’alofa, Tonga

issues of the PRIDE
PRIDE presents significant from

20-24th March. The fifteen newsletter.
methodological, epistemological countries a

nd the PRIDE Project
The PRIDE Project (Pacific
and institutional challenges’. will sh

owcase their achievements in Priscilla Puamau, PhD
Regional Initiatives for the Delivery of
Nonetheless, the emerging stories basic education in planning, policy Project Director
basic Education) is implemented by
the Institute of Education at USP and is
jointly funded by the European Union
Curriculum Development —Majolizing the Curriculum
and New Zealand AID through the
Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

T he MoE continues to work
toward rethinking education
to better address the
specific needs of the Marshall
Islands. From December 1-12, 2008
“Write Shop,” a curriculum
development workshop led by
University of Guam consultant Dr.
Marilynn Salas aimed to do just
PRIDE serves Cook Islands, Feder-
that. Dr. Salas has been involved in
ated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati,
RMI education and the Pacific
Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau,
Islands before, working with the
Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon
College of the Marshall Islands
Participants at “Write Shop” workshop RMI
Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and
(CMI). At Write Shop, participants
Vanuatu.
the materials, participants built namely to “Majolize” the MOE
worked to develop Marshallese

their own capacity to write and curriculum.

M o s t o f t h e
curriculum materials and resources

learnt how to best teach the materials and resources to be
for students in grades 5 - 9 to use

writing process to their students. used in this workshop have
in their classrooms. “The purpose

Once resources are drafted, been identified from the Values

of this workshop was two-fold,” they will be integrated into lesson & Skills Research Project, that

comments Dr. Salas. “Marshallese planning and classroom use. has been conducted since

teachers are writing and doing a Minister for Education Nidel August of this year with

research project to relate in story Loreak couldn’t be more pleased. technical assistance provide by

form, but they are also learning He commented, “I’m glad Dr. Hilda Heine, where field

how to teach the writing process

something is being done for the research at pilot schools in
so that they can extend this project

upper grades and that RMI MOE is Majuro and Wotje (outer island
to their students.”

very instrumental in ensuring that school) identified knowledge,

The goal is to have 20-30 new

the Majolizing is part of the skills, tools, language and values

resources for the Marshallese education system today because to be integrated into the

curriculum. To do this, participants there was a time when all of these curriculum.
Editor: Libby Cass
first identified curriculum materials materials were dying out. And The Ministry is very excited
Layout: Marlie Rota
to be written locally and then thanks to the EU & NZAID through about both Write Shop & Value
ISSN#: 1813-0216
conducted research at CMI, Alele the PRIDE Project.”
Research and looks forward to
Tel: (679)
323.2783
and other local institutions to
Fax: (679)
323.1532

Write Shop is part of a series seeing each participant’s hard
gather information about their
e-mail: pride@usp.ac.fj
of workshops which are scheduled w o r k a n d c o m p l e t e d
topics. Some of which include
Web: www.usp.ac.fj/pride
to be conducted from December curriculum resource.
canoes, teenage pregnancy, healthy 2008 to March 2009, all of which
babies, Marshallese medicine, and reflect the goals of the 2006 Brenda Maddison
navigation. In the process of writing “Rethinking Education” conference, RMI NPC
Small but significant steps in the sand: IE in Samoa
I n Samoa a PRIDE subproject on information about children with
Inclusive Education has been disabilities. Television, radio and
implemented since 2006. This newspaper have been employed to
project is aimed at supporting the do this. The Ministry of Education,
establishment of sustainable S p o r t a n d C u l t u r e a f t e r
systems for inclusive education in experiencing positive feedback
the Ministry of Education, Sport f r o m t h e f i r s t t e l e v i s i o n
and Culture. This project is promotions sought additional
interesting because it has been funding to complete a series of two
coordinated outside the Samoan more promotions.
Ministry of Education, Sport and 3.Accessibility guidelines
Culture by SENESE an NGO. I The construction of new schools
have had the pleasure and under various development
opportunity to coordinate this programmes highlighted the need
project and would like to share for accessibility guidelines for
some of the positive outcomes that school buildings. The project has
have resulted
worked closely with the Ministry of
The overall project has four N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s a n d Sina, the teacher aide support person for Faaolo, who is hearing impaired works
main components:
Environment and the Ministry of with Rachel, a trainer from SENESE during a support visit to the school.

1.Professional development Works to produce a guideline for
Inclusive education is a process that all school buildings. Under

the
The idea of training teacher crucial. All three principals were
involves continual learning for Planning and Urban Manageme
aide
nt
s to work in government excited by the concept and agreed
t h o s e i n v o l v e d . N a t i o n a l section of the Ministry of Natural schools came out of a real need to to be a part of the programme as

workshops have been conducted to Resources and Environment see mo

re children with disabilities they could see the benefits of
included in government schools receiving more specific support.
especially those in rural areas.

Page 2
They also shared the view that all
Samoa, like many small Pacific children would benefit from

Islands, experiences a severe learning together and this

teacher shortage and high rates of programme would help families of
departure from the system each children with disabilities to feel

year. Though there is a course in confident in bringing their children

inclusive education offered at the to school.
National University of Samoa, there

The families that we are working
is still a need to rationalize how with al expressed a desire for

these teachers are utilized and their children to attend school and
where they are placed. Presently because they live in rural locations
y
2009
these teachers are being absorbed attending the urban based school
into the regular classrooms. We
uar
for the hearing impaired was not
needed a system that was going to an option. They were eager to
allow children to have the support learn more communication
they needed to access a quality strategies including sign language
Parents gather and share their ideas how they can work together with the Ministry of educational experience. We and participated in training on how
sue 14, Febr
Education to allow their children to be included in regular government primary schools.
decided to start small and work to work in the classroom. We
support teachers’ confidence
train
to
ing is now underway with staff with three families of hearing invited an additional member of
include children with specific to support the

implementation of impaired children who were about each respective village community
disabilities. These workshops have this new guideline. This is seen as to enter year one in their local to attend this training as another
covered specific strategies for a way

to ensure accessible buildings village schools.
including children who are vision or in the short term as we advocate
support for the process.
Initial discussions were held At the start of 2008 three
Pacific Pride Is
hearing impaired, have a physical for these specifications to be wi
th the principals of the schools teacher aides (who are linked to a
disability or an intellectual disability. incorporated in the Samoan who

had previously attended hearing impaired child’s family)

Under this component we have building code in the long term.
national training on the concept of commenced paid employment at
conducted parent empowerm

ent
4.Collecting images and stories of Inclusive Education. The role of the three schools. The link
meetings that have endeavoured to significant change
the principals in leading and between the child’s family and the
b u i l d b r i d g e s o f g o o d This

was decided as a priority area championing this whole process is school is important as the family is
communication between school as the

whole concept of including
and home.
children with disabilities in regular
This component has also classrooms is

a new and emerging
initiated a programme to train and conceptual process. Many movie
place teacher aide interpreters in clips and photos have been taken
four village classrooms to support throughout the project to illustrate
families and schools to include ju
st how a diverse range of children
children who are hearing impaired can learn together. These will be
in accessing education.
collated in a package that can be
W h e n c o m p l e t e d t h i s shared n

ationally and regionally.
component will have produc

ed
Whilst these four components
information leaflets and booklets in each have an important role to play
Samoan regarding specific in

the overal development of
disabilities, their causes and helpful inclusive education systems, I
strategies for developing each would like

to explore in more
child’s potential.
detail the establishment of teacher

2.Media campaigns
aides in government schools under
It was felt that people needed to be the first component of this
able to access more accurate programme.

Universal accessibility guidelines will ensure schools are built to allow all children
to attend.

Cook Islands Performing Arts Project
learning new ways to include the
is now playing out in many
child at home and school. It is also
schools end-of-year productions.
felt that by selecting a member of
Numerous principals have re-
the family for this position they will
ported that lead teachers passed
have the intrinsic motivation to
on their enthusiasm and knowl-
make it work. To date this is
edge in staff training they initi-
exactly what we have witnessed.
ated. One school was featured on
Through cooperation between
the evening news depicting leg-
SENESE, the village schools and the
ends with puppets they had
Ministry of Education we have been
learned to make as a result of the
able to offer regular support to
subproject. Children continue to
these schools. The teacher aides
stop and talk to me about it
with the children attend support
when I see them in my
sessions at SENESE at least three
neighbourhood.
times a month. During these
What have we learned? The
sessions specific guidance is giving
sequence of learning of this pro-
to each family. This may include
ject was a valuable lesson. In the
resource development, specific
month previous to the tour a
guidance in language or speech
teaching resource was sent intro-
work.
ducing teaching ideas to accom-
Half way through the year we
pany the performance. Most of
conducted another workshop
them stayed on the shelf. It was-
Performing Art students with masks made at the Performing Arts Project
through PRIDE to help the schools
n’t until people were actively Pacific Pride Is
develop individual education
from under the sea, George the involved in the ‘creating and ap-
programmes for the children.

Conductor leaps and bounds and
Principals, class teachers, teacher T he local mayor and island
secretary have been per-
preciating’ aspect of the project
sonally invited. There has makes us

laugh, depicting the life that the learning came alive, re-
aides and parents attended this been a scratchy interview on the of James Bond, a crazy cowboy, minding us again of the adage,
programme. The programme was local radio station or a quick TV Romeo and Juliet and a duck in people learn best by doing. We
held at the National University of clip just before ‘Home and the b

ath. Children come forward know for the future to make any
sue 14, February 2009
Samoa and helped strengthen the Away’. And now, a large per- and present their songs, dances introductory learning resources
link from undergraduate training to
centage of the Island population and new puppets. And all of us highly visual and brief. The follow
actual classrooms.
are sitting on benches, holding join in with Playback Theatre, a up learning however has been in
We are now approaching the small children and wondering form of improvisation

that hon- depth, as teachers were stimu-
end of our first year trial. The what will happen next. They ours people’s real life stories. lated to investigate different as-
number of schools we are have probably heard different Sometimes people stay afterward pects of drama, dance and music
supporting grew by one mid year as
stories from their children about and share Kai and their own ex- as tools for exploring both the
a neighbouring school approached what has been going on at the periences of performing in the essential skills and classroom
us if there was a possibility for one
school this week. Not the usual. Cook Islands and overseas. There subject areas. With many learning
of the trained teacher aides to
are big sm
A group of four performers
iles all around and eve- resources supplied on both Cook

work in their school as they had a
from three countries have been ryone seems satisfied that more Islands and international perform-

hearing impaired child attending. around to classes teaching, what of this kind of learning is a good ing arts, teachers have begun to
This was seen as a positive move
build on their own interest areas

exactly? They may have come to idea.
and implemented as we had trained
find out or they may have come How do we know this pro- of teaching. We will continue
an additional person in each village. hoping to be entertained.
ject has made a difference? with further workshops that offer

The parents of the children now
The lights at the back of the Teachers were clearly enthused teachers the opportunity to share
work together to support their hall flicker out and circus music by what they saw through per- their developing expertise as well Page 3
development of signing. They are begins. Out tumble the clowns, formances and classroom model- as learn further skills.
feeling positive and very pleased to
some of them lost, some of ling and voted with their feet,

see wonderful changes in their them naughty, all of them with coming in record numbers to Nancy Fulford,
children’s development.
suitcases full of surprises. Over workshops during the holidays. Performing Arts Director
The Ministry of Education, the next hour storytellers depict The work that was begun during Cook Islands MOE
Sport and Culture has recently the lively journey of Whakipo the tour and in training sessions
reviewed this component and has
agreed to take steps to
institutionalize the role of teacher
aides for supporting inclusive
education. This will be achieved
through the design and certification
of a course for teacher aides
followed by presentation and final
authorization through the Samoan
Public Service.

Positive steps forward are being
made in the sand in Samoa to al ow
inclusive education to be realized.
I feel these steps are above the tidal
line and will remain to see more
children included in their village
schools.

Donna Lene
IE Subproject Coordinator
A clown makes the children laugh at a Playback Theatre performance
Samoa
TVET in Tokelau
gram (see left)
TVET sector within the Pacific

A very important feature of this
region.
subproject is the place of the non-
Since the start of this subproject
formal education sector in the provi- the outputs have included:
sion of TVET courses and pro- i.
The role of the TVET Coordi-
grammes. However, while PRIDE
nator is now an established
criteria for this work states that
permanent position within the
subprojects should not fund commu-
Department of Education;
nity-based activities, we have found ii. TVET courses will be inte-
that establishing school-based TVET
grated into the secondary
programmes naturally “spills over”
school curriculum from Year 9
into the non-formal sector through
in 2009;
the sharing of tools, equipment, iii. TVET
courses
are being devel-
technology and human resources.
oped to assist students to tran-
So, the development of TVET
sition from formal schooling
courses and programmes to be
(after Year 11) into more rele-
based at the school within the for-
vant pathways. These will be
mal education sector means that the
integrated into the senior sec-
additional resources which the De-
ondary programme in 2009;
T
partment of Education have brought iv. Training for three teachers in
echnical and Vocational Educa- grammes to be integrated into the in, such as additional trained teach-
basic trades courses over 20
tion and Training (TVET) in formal education system. It was ers / tutors, technical resources and
weeks during 2008, in prepara-
Tokelau was given a greater agreed to:
training for current teachers can be
tion for the provision of these
focus with the injection of resources •
Include vocational skills that are utilised by the community outside of
programmes in the school cur-

through a PRIDE subproject. Prior
relevant to the needs of the school-time.
riculum with support from a
to this, technical and vocational
local community;
Achievements for Tokelau
VSA TVET Training Coordina-
programmes were not a prominent
Page 4
•
Develop within the student the
The TVET subproject for Toke-
tor;
feature of the formal school system.
spirit and love for learning, as a lau has achieved the following:
v. Working in partnership with

Traditional subjects such as wood-
lifelong process;
1. Raised awareness of the impor-
one village in the provision of a

work and metalwork for boys and •
Broaden the experiences of the
tance of vocational and techni-
community-based school-
home economics for the girls were

student to enable them to ac-
cal education and training for all
leavers course in basic carpen-
the only courses which schools tried
cess other opportunities to
students
try, with on-island training /

to fit into their curriculum if there
realise their potential and inter- 2. The important role of the com-
tutorials and off-shore practical

was space in the timetable and more
ests; and
munity in the provision of a
placements;
importantly, if there were teachers •
Assist students to make clearer
more holistic education for vi. Working in partnership with
who could teach them.
decisions about their future
students
three villages in the provision of

The Tokelau subproject in TVET
direction in education and in 3. Broadened the school curricu-
sports massage and therapy
y
2009
allowed the Department of Educa-
life.
lum to meet the needs of a
education and training.
uar
tion to appoint a National TVET Quality TVET programmes and
wider spectrum of students

Coordinator with the main responsi- courses for Tokelau will include 4. Widened and strengthened Lili Tuioti
bility being to develop TVET pro- those aspects as shown in the dia-
Tokelau’s networks in the Tokelau NPC
Pacific education news in brief
sue 14, Febr
Mrs. Sanjana Kumaran joined
Lecturer in Science (1992-1995). Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in education articles and increased
the PRIDE Project on 1st She was then seconded to the February 2009.
interest and understanding of
September 2008 as Resource Institute of Education, USP. During
Pacific education.
Centre Assistant. Before joining her stint with IOE, Sereana was a Palau has a new Minister of
PRIDE, she taught computing and project coordinator for a number of Education, the Hon. Mr Masa-Aki N.
The Pacific Education community
Pacific Pride Is
economics in three secondary USP-based regional projects that Emesiochl. Mr. Emesiochl is a lost a great friend and colleague,
schools in Fiji for nine years. included visits to many countries in former Director of Curriculum and Ross Tasker, on January 12 2009.
Sanjana has a Diploma in Library the region and Long Term Instruction for the Palau Ministry of Ross spend much time at USP as
Information, Diploma in Applied Education Advisor on two national Education and served as a le c t u r e r i n E d u c a t i o n , i s
Computing and a BA in Economics AusAID Teacher education projects programme specialist for PREL.
remembered in Samoa for his
and Management. She is married in Fiji and Vanuatu. Her professional
contributions to the development
with three children, two at background includes science www.directions.usp.ac.fj
of teacher education and the
secondary school and a two year education, teacher education, Celebrating 30 years of publishing Teachers' College in the early
old.
curriculum & assessment, project excellence, USP's Institute of nineties and for his warmth in

implementation, and training & Education launched Directions: character. Condolences and
I Mrs Sereana Tagivakatini, joined research.
Journal of Education Studies online sympathies to his wife Gillian and
the Project as Education Advisor on
late 2008. Since going online there family.
1st July 2008. A familiar face to Fiji has a new PS Education. Mr have been numerous visitors to the
PRIDE and the region, Sereana Filipe Jitoko, former Deputy site; many from countries far away
T h e P R I D E P r o j e c t , i n
comes with a wealth of experience, Secretary for Education and PRIDE from the Pacific: Israel, Trinidad and partnership with the Tonga
having worked in education for the National Project Coordinator was Tobago, Canada and Finland to Ministry of Education, Women
last 25 years. She was a Fellow with appointed to replace Mrs Emi name a few. The digitisation of Affairs & Culture, will hold its 10th
the Institute of Education before Rabukawaqa upon her retirement. Directions: Journal of Educational regional conference culminating in
she joined PRIDE. She started her Mr Josefa Natau is Fiji’s new Deputy Studies is an important action by an exhibition on the theme 'Sharing
career as a senior secondary school Secretary for Administration &

the Project to build regional and showcasing best practice in
science and mathematics teacher Finance & PRIDE NPC.
capacity. It is expected that online Pacific education' at the Fa'onelua
and Head of Science (1983-1991)
access to Directions: Journal of Convention Centre, Nuku'alofa,
before she joined the Fiji College of

Project Manager John Educational Studies will generate Tonga from 20-24th March 2009.
Advanced Education as Senior Stunnenberg left PRIDE to join the improved access to Pacific

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