In 2020, Oil Search Foundation (OSF) provided scholarships for four elementary school and early childhood education teachers from Tari in Hela Province and Kikori in Gulf Province, to study childhood education pat the University of Goroka.
On Tuesday 19th April 2022, the four young people graduated as qualified early childhood education teachers.
With a great need for elementary and early childhood education teachers in their communities, prior to 2020, the four were helping to teach young children, without a qualification. They have now returned to Tari and Kikori as qualified early childhood education teachers, ready to provide quality early childhood education. They are the first to do so in their communities.
One of these four students, Kaye Dara from Kikori finished the academic program on a high note, by scoring the top GPA in the class of Early Childhood Learning (ECL).
“My dream is to use my new qualification to train and motivate elementary school teachers to properly teach children. Teachers must have the passion to teach, and not just teach for money. When a child is properly taught, they grow up with the love for learning. This will take them a long way”, says Kaye Dara.
“I am so thankful to OSF for everything. The Foundation has done a lot for us, much more than what we expected. I will not be where I am today, if it wasn’t for their support, so thank you OSF”
The Foundation’s support to developing early childhood education teachers aligns with its literacy program, which is aimed at improving literacy levels in elementary and primary schools, especially in Hela, Southern Highlands and Gulf provinces. The program aims to build a strong foundation for learning, so that children are empowered to be effective learners as they journey through the rest of their schooling years.
This literacy program also supports the PNG Government’s Early Childhood Education policy that aims to prepare children to thrive during their school years.
