Page 26 - IB February 2024

Education

address their ongoing challenges to improving the quality of in reading performance were found in PILNA 2021 when
education. Endorsed at the Forum Education Minister Meeting compared with PILNA 2018 at both year levels “but it is
(FEdMM) in 2018 for 15 Pacific Island country members, unclear whether these are significant”; 53% of Year Six
PacREF aims to identify shared challenges, develop solutions students met the minimum expected reading performance
to address those challenges, improve student outcomes standards in 2021; girls scored higher than boys in average
and well-being, build the capacity of Pacific education reading performance in 2021 at both year levels; and a larger
institutions, and maximise shared resources. proportion of girls were meeting the minimum expected
Belisle says some of PacREF’s initiatives include updating reading performance standards than boys at both year levels.
regional standards for teachers and school leaders to ensure While organisations such as EQAP are taking measures to
that the Pacific standards are relevant in the current context address learning challenges within the education system in
of the region. In addition to its ongoing work on the Pacific the Pacific, there are concerns about the lack of alternatives
Islands literacy and numeracy assessment donor program, for those students that drop out because they cannot meet
aimed at measuring and improving reading, writing and the academic standards set by exams.
numeracy proficiency levels in primary school, EQAP is piloting At the Fiji National Education Summit in Suva in July last
a new Pacific assessment for the lower secondary level in year, there was discussion about introducing Technical and
each of the sub-regions of the Pacific, accrediting national Vocational Education Training (TVET) at Year 7 or 8 level,
and regional qualifications to ensure regional recognition of as an alternative pathway for non-academically oriented
learning, and developing a regional research bank to improve students, given that about 40% of students who sit for the
the quality of education at all levels of learning. Year 8 (Secondary Entrance) Examination fail.
At the International Day of Education celebrations in The concern is that these students are pushed into Year 9
Suva last month, EQAP launched PILNA TV, a series of videos and about the same number end up dropping out or failing in
demonstrating best practice in the teaching of reading Year 10.
comprehension using the recommendations from the Pacific A discussion paper at the 2023 education summit pointed
Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) analysis in out that 5000 TVET scholarships were allocated for TVET
2021. studies at FNU but only 32% (1600) were taken up.
The PILNA 2021 analysis of the situation in the Pacific The remaining 3400 places were not used because Year 12
found that Year Four students are not, on average, meeting students needed to score a minimum of 250 out of a total of
the minimum expected performance levels; small decreases 400 marks, to qualify for the TVET Scholarship.
TVET advocates argue that the scholarships should target
those that failed Years 4, 6 and 7, with lower qualifying
TRADEMARK CAUTIONARY NOTICE marks to harness this section of the youth population into a
IN MICRONESIA productive workforce.
Long-time educators such as Dr Ganesh Chand, who has led
Notice is hereby given that KT&G CORPORATION, a corporation the Solomon Islands National University and the Fiji National
organized and existing under the laws of Republic of Korea, 71, University, who established Pacific Polytech, a hands-on
Beotkkot-gil, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea is the owner
and sole proprietor of the following trademark: technical college in Fiji last year, are concerned that nothing
is being done to address these concerns.
BOHEM “Those with critical thinking learnings in the education
sector need to be given space to articulate where we are, and
The above mark is used in connection with promoting KT&G where we need to go,” says Chand.
products, which primarily consist of tobacco products in the
international Class 34, to include Tobacco; Cigarettes; Cigars; “For Fiji, we have been expecting an education commission
Snuff; Cigarette papers; Tobacco pipes; Cigarette filters; Cigarette to address some of these issues. But instead, we see ‘talk
cases (not of precious metal); Tobacco pouches; Cigarette lighters shops’ like summits taking over, with ‘more of the same’
(not of precious metal); Matches; Pipe cleaners for tobacco pipes; emerging, albeit in different packaging.”
Ashtrays (not of precious metal) for smokers; Cigar cutters.
Chand says finding new approaches to developing the
KT&G CORPORATION wishes to inform merchants and the public education sector is essential because of the impact of
in the Federated States of Micronesia that singular importance is external factors such as labour mobility schemes extending
attached to the trademark depicted above and that legal action will to the unskilled sector such as agriculture, caregiving, and
be taken against any person or persons who act in infringement
of this trademark, who pass off their goods as goods of KT&G cleaning services.
CORPORATION, or who act in a manner likely to cause confusion “The fact that now, relatively ‘unskilled’ people can go
or misunderstanding as to the source, sponsorship, approval or to work in Australia and New Zealand creates a huge impact
certification of such goods, to the extent allowed by the law of the on the mindset of students. Where earlier, a motivation for
Federated States of Micronesia.
hard work and studies would have been to work in [these
Any inquiry regarding this Cautionary Notice may countries], now the power of that motivation is diminished
be directed to: AJ Park, Level 22, Aon Centre, 1 Willis Street, significantly. This will have a serious impact on the education
Wellington 6011, New Zealand, mail@ajpark.com sector in Fiji and the Pacific. Unless governments take firm
action, I foresee a steady decline in quality,” says Chand.

26 Islands Business, February 2024