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Stop Press - Institute of Education (IOE) |
The Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs visited USP Tonga Campus for a week since the 11th of March, 2013. The main priorities of his visit were to:
A meeting was held with the IOE Supervision Team for the School of Education students and they were able to discuss on research grants, review publications and research priorities. Dr Prasad also gathered USP’s postgraduate students to update on their work in progress, discuss administrative matters and to introduce and overview modules. He also conducted a workshop ‘English for Research Writing’ aimed for USP’s postgraduate students and other students from the tertiary institutions in Tonga. The Associate Dean was able to complete arranged tasks and was very pleased with the outcome of his visit.
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Dr Prasad presenting on 'Research Methodologies in Humanities and Social Sciences' | Students waiting to present on their work in progress | During a session conducted by Dr Prasad |
In 2011, the Tonga Ministry of Education approached IOE to design and deliver two qualifications in their effor to ensure that by 2015 all teachers in Tonga are qualified and registered. The IOE put together a team consisting of Mr Vilimaka Foliaki, Dr Kevin Smith and Dr Mo'ale 'Otunuku to design and deliver the Initial Certificate in Teaching (Secondary) Level 4 and the Post graduate Certificate in Teaching (Secondary) Level 7 for the Tonga Insitute of Education. Early this year IOE, as part of its internal quality assurance processes, contracted a team to undertake a review of the design and the delivery of the two certificates. This took place from the 22nd of January - 4th of February 2013. The review team consists of 'Ungatea Kata (PhD) of the Tonga Tertiary Insitute and Steve French (M.Ed) of Pacsted Ltd.
Key findings from the review report:
The staff of the Institute of Education, USP are to be congratualted on successfully achieving the tasks of designing a coherent programme of courses well suited for Initial Teacher Certification purposes for graduates and uncertified secondary teachers throughout Tonga, and for teaching the courses at TIOE in 2012.
The design of the programme closely aligned with the Faiako ma'a Tonga Framework and the teaching requirements of schools.
The majority of students interviewed by the researchers agreed that the professionalism of the IOE lecturers was of the highest quality, the content relevant to their needs and the assignments challenging.
Principals who observed the student teachers in their classes quickly identified improvements in classroom practice and greater student engagement in learning.
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Dr 'Ungatea Kata of Tonga Tertiary Institute | Mr Steve French of Pacsted Ltd. |
The Teacher Demand and Supply in Tonga, 2012-2021 report had been completed and was prepared by Dr Paul Bennell, a Senior Partner in Knowledge and Skills for Development, United Kingdom and Dr Masasso Paunga of Institute of Education, USP. This study examines the current and future supply and demand of teachers at primary and secondary schools in Tonga over the period 2012 to 2021. The three main objectives of the study are: to provide overview of the teaching force in primary and secondary schools, to estimate the number of trained primary and secondary teachers required over the next 10 years and to provide estimates of the cost of any additional teaching posts that will be required.
Key Findings from the Teacher Demand and Supply Report:
⇒ Primary School Teachers
⇒ Secondary School Teachers
⇒ Teacher Utilisation
⇒ Enrolment projections
⇒ Primary education
⇒ Junior secondary education (Form 1-5)
⇒ Senior secondary education (Form 6 and 7)
⇒ Teaching post requirements
⇒ Teacher recruitment target
Planning teacher supply over the next 10-15 years would include an overview of current enrolment and expected graduates from the Tonga Institute of Education (TIOE) and other key aspects and expected graduates from the Tonga Institute of Education (TIOE) and other key aspects of its staffing and funding. Enrolments targets for pre-service teacher training are then presented. It is proposed that the last output of diplomates will be in 2016 and that, thereafter, sole reliance is placed on B.Ed. training for both primary and secondary teacher recruitment.
⇒ Primary education
⇒ Secondary education
⇒ Untrained teachers and diploma upgrading
⇒ Cost projections
⇒ Next steps
Dr. Paul Bennell at Havelu Primary School
