A Pacific child is used to hearing stories passed down orally by her elders, a tradition that has been part of her culture for generations. At school, there was a struggle with the English books, which felt distant from the tales she knew by heart.
One day, her teacher brought a bilingual book in English and her vernacular language. Her face lit up as the familiarity of the words, sounds, and illustrations washed over her. These bilingual books supported her learning and honoured her culture, making learning more meaningful and inclusive.
With this vision, the Institute of Education (IoE) at The University of the South Pacific, in collaboration with the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) and Kiribati Ministry of Education, launched Kiribati bilingual books for Kiribati children on August 7.
The Kiribati bilingual books, written and illustrated by Kiribati educators for their students, were officially launched by the Curriculum Development Officer, Ministry of Education Kiribati, Tonobwa Kaoten.
At the launch, Kaoten said the textbooks and resources produced for the teachings of culture, local languages, and the arts were invaluable assets that would empower the Kiribati students and educators alike.
“Moreover, this initiative is an exceptional example of your (Institute of Education) commitment to mainstreaming Pacific culture, language, and knowledge systems within our educational frameworks,” he said.
“By integrating these elements into our curricula, you are preserving our heritage and ensuring that future generations have the opportunity to learn, appreciate, and take pride in their cultural identity.
“This initiative serves as a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of education in fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of our unique cultural tapestry,” Kaoten said.
IoE’s Fellow in Literacy and Curriculum, ‘Ana Heti Veikune, said the books, written in a five-day writeshop and the launch, were a testament to the Kiribati educators’ commitment to education.
“Your 28 bilingual readers and 15 numeracy resources, aligned to the themes in your curriculum, spanning from ECCE to junior secondary, written by you, the educators of Kiribati for the children of Kiribati, complete with illustrations drawn by artists in Kiribati, and most of them having a Teachers’ and Parents’ Guide attached at the end, copyrighted to Kiribati Ministry of Education and is a significant feat worth celebrating; a most fragrant garland is completed and gifted back to you today,” she said.
“For the illustrations of the readers, some were drawn digitally and some by pencil and enhanced for printing, a time-consuming but most vital activity.”
“The aspiration after this work is that we do not want these readers to be a good wind blowing into a torn sail; you (meaning your children, teachers and parents) need to use the resources, not just use them, but to use them well.”
“We all need to keep writing our stories, we need to keep drawing our illustrations, we need to keep telling and reading our stories to our children.”
These stories are uploaded to the Waka Moana Learning Hub, a comprehensive repository of resources catering to the teaching and learning needs of literacy, numeracy, science, and non-cognitive skills.
