PNG schools urged to focus on learning, not just exams

Education Secretary, Dr Uke Kombra, has emphasized the need for Papua New Guinea’s education system to roll out a formative assessment system.

He says the system will allow teachers to assess individual students based on subject content taught in the classroom.

Dr Kombra said that too often teachers focus more on national examinations than on actual learning taking place in classrooms.

The Education Secretary said, formative assessment is a more effective process of evaluation, as it reflects students’ actual learning in the classroom.

Dr Kombra said this assessment approach is not designed for grading or ranking students, but to support learning progress

He said the main goal of Papua New Guinea’s education system is to make sure students are actually learning and being tested on what they have been taught.

Dr Kombra has asked the Measurement Services and Curriculum Division to create a policy to formally include formative assessment in schools nationwide.