New curriculum for early childhood learning

The Department of Education has announced there'll be a new subject introduced in the new Early Childhood Learning Curriculum [ELC] set to be piloted next year.

Secretary for the Department of Education Dr Uke Kombra made this known at the recent southern region consultation for the PNG Education Transformation Vision 75.

He was responding to the confusion that ELC would be replacing the current Elementary Schools.

Dr Kombra says it's keeping with education’s 166 standard-based curriculum: there’ll be 1 year of early childhood learning, Grades 1 to six in primary schools, and Grades 7 to 12 in secondary schools, enabling every child up to 13 years of quality education.

He says from the change, elementary teachers will all receive upgraded training for lower primary school teaching capacities, but the current curriculum will still be the same.

He says they will begin this rollout with 10 pilot early childhood learning centers in the country with their own early childhood learning curriculum that’s been developed, and when this concept is tidied up, it will be implemented in all provinces throughout the country.

Meantime, Mr Kombra revealed there will be one new subject incorporated into this ACE curriculum called ‘God and the Bible.’

He admits the 166 curriculums has been a slow start revealing currently they’ve administered up to 30 percent of the Education Transformation from OBE to SBC and counting.