Inservice education of teachers in secondary schools in Papua New Guinea

This study examines the in-service education of teachers in Papua New Guinea with specific reference to secondary teachers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the nature, objectives, operation and perceived outcomes of inservice education in Papua New Guinea in relation to current theories on ISE and to suggest fruitful directions for the future. The research methodology adopted was that of descriptive and analytical research using the questionnaire and interview as the principal data gathering devices. This was supported by archival data obtained from National Department of Education records, Provincial Education Office records and University and College records. The survey population consisted of 236 teachers in 13 provincial high schools in three selected provinces, educational administrators in key policy making and policy implementation levels, and teacher educators in pre-service and in-service education. The research framework was derived from the literature on inservice education in which theoretical perceptions and assumptions relevant to in-service education were reviewed. This was followed by an examination of assumptions and underlying issues relevant to developing countries. The main findings are: that the purposes and aims of inservice education need to be. clarified and its roles made clear within the context of secondary education and education in general in PNG; that a greater emphasis heeds to be made of group-oriented and whole staff-oriented strategies and procedures and to encourage schools to try out the problem-solving approach to ISE; that ISE content shoulcl equally take into account the needs of individual teachers, groups and whole staff and the needs of the system; that a mixture of strategies and procedures should be used in ISE; that school and provincial ISE structures need to be reassessed if ISE is to be effective and efficient at the school and provincial levels; that the scope of externally-directed course-based programs of ISE needs to be widened to include more group-oriented perspectives; that ISE should enable teachers to reflect more on the tasks of teaching and its consequences upon student learning; that universities and colleges of education need to take More responsibility for inservice education; that more financial resources are required to support SBISE and SFISE; that increased attention is needed to monitor the effectiveness of ISE activities and programs and the efficiency of schools, the province and the system in the management and support of ISE.