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Decades of commitment, development and continuous

improvement of Pacific’s qualifications: What’s next?
www.islandsbusiness.com July-August 2023 FJD $8
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May 2023 FJD $8 October 2023 FJD $8
Looking at the improved mobility of Pacific people across the in terms of volume and complexity of learning, and illustrates the
region makes me reflect on structures and systems that allowed it pathway to move from one qualification to the next. The PQF also
www.islandsbusiness.com March 2023 FJD $8 www.islandsbusiness.com to be a reality, something that was very difficult to achieve a decade describes the different types of qualifications, in terms of their rele-
AVAILABLE HERE
The Kiribati Ministry of Education adopted this regional frame-
Mauri, I am Toaiauea Toaba – Quality Assurance Officer at Kir-
www.islandsbusiness.com Islands Business December 2023 FJD $8 ago. vance and applicability to the industry.
work to firstly establish an official framework at the national level
ibati’s Ministry of Education, and I am fortunate to represent my
PACIFIC BANKING country in the recently launched Pacific Qualifications Recognition and secondly, to improve our quality assurance systems.
OVERVIEW 2023
For example, through the regional framework, our ministry is
Project that is led by the Pacific Community (SPC) and the New
Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).
able to support the Kiribati Teachers College to provide the relevant
Movement across borders has increased due to improved for-
AGRICULTURE LDCs BOILING mal and vocational education in the region and more specifically qualifications at the national level that are comparable with similar
qualifications across the blue Pacific continent.
Now, after a decade of ongoing upgrades and improvements
TOURISM INVESTMENT www.islandsbusiness.com in Kiribati, however our Pacific People are still facing challenges achieved through our framework, where to from here?
in having their qualifications recognised in the countries they are
POINT
PACIFIC AVIATION: FIJI RUGBY'S APPETITE FOR MORE aiming to migrate to. involved in the Pacific Qualifications Recognition Project. The 9
The next five years will be a critical period for Pacific countries
COOPERATION BORN FROM CRISIS
In Kiribati’s case, to fully grasp the qualifications recognition jour-
THE BEAUTY AND
• FRENCH POLYNESIA’S PRESIDENT TALKS
countries will be supported to strengthen their qualifications frame-
ney of the country, we must go back in time to understand where
BUSINESS OF BILAS
• ICT: DECISION MAKING WITHOUT DATA?
works and systems, to improve the recognition of Pacific qualifica-
we are headed for the next five years.
• MEET CHARLES MAIMAROSIA
Prior to 2014, Kiribati did not have a qualifications authority that
In the project, SPC and NZQA will support the countries to carry
would ensure that the country not only had a quality assured set of
PACIFIC PERSON
out referencing of national qualifications frameworks and qualifica-
qualifications, but also that those qualifications are accredited and tions in other countries.
OF THE YEAR
recognised even outside of our borders. tions systems against the Pacific Qualifications Framework. This
MANASSEH SOGAVARE
This also meant that qualifications provided in the country were exercise will feed into the second stage of the project that focusses
not consistent and comparable across the nation. on strengthening national and regional qualifications systems and
These problems rippled into generating challenges for our learn- frameworks. The expected improved quality and relevance of na-
ers as those exiting schools had limited pathways for quality ter- tional and regional qualifications will enable Pacific people to ac-
tiary education. An equally worrying issue was that when students cess employment opportunities nationally and overseas.
Islands Business gives you the sort of in-depth, accurate, professionally-written graduated from local institutions, their qualifications were not rec- Through the project we will have opportunities to connect with
ognised locally or overseas and this led to an increase in unem- other Pacific Island countries that contribute to the development
analysis and coverage on the Pacific that you need to make informed decisions. ployment rates and attainment of unsatisfactory employment for of not only the education systems, but also to our economic and
these graduates. social sectors and in strengthening diplomatic relationships.
In 2001, the Pacific Ministers of Education, in their meeting in Kiribati, plus eight other countries that are participants in the
Brisbane, agreed to the setting up of a regional qualifications’ PACER Plus trade agreement including Cook Islands, Niue, Nauru,
That’s our business framework, covering basic, primary, secondary, TVET and tertiary Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, will be work-
education, benchmarked against appropriate international stand- ing with SPC and NZQA to further uplift the quality of the region’s
Islands Business is the region’s only monthly news, current affairs and business ards and qualifications. qualifications so they can be recognised beyond the borders of our
magazine. We investigate beyond the headlines to give you the information you The Pacific Qualifications Framework was established to sup- blue Pacific continent.
port improvement of the quality of qualifications across the region,
want, information you need, and most importantly, information you can rely on. including Kiribati qualifications. The South Pacific Board for Ed- About the Pacific Qualifications Recognition Project:
ucational Assessment (SPBEA) at that time, now known as the Funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Pacific Community’s (SPC) Educational Quality and Assessment (MFAT), the Pacific Qualifications Recognition project aims to
Programme (EQAP), was tasked by our region’s education lead- strengthen the Pacific and national qualifications frameworks and
ers to construct a regional qualifications framework as well as help systems that will promote the recognition of qualifications, enabling
those countries who have internal capacity to develop their national the movement of learners and skilled workers across borders. The
www.islandsbusiness.com frameworks. five-year project is jointly implemented by the Pacific Community
(SPC) in partnership with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority
In 2011, the Pacific Qualifications Framework (PQF) was en-
dorsed by the region and is a structure that defines qualifications (NZQA).
Sponsored Content Islands Business, April 2024 33