The Ministry of Education in Kiribati has taken a significant stride towards enhancing the country’s educational landscape by rolling out a new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Curriculum Framework. This major educational initiative, a part of the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) activities, aims to boost teacher competency and improve the quality of early childhood education nationwide.
The launch of this curriculum, held on July 4, 2023, marks a pivotal moment for Kiribati’s education sector, focusing squarely on improving education for its youngest learners and raising the standards of teacher professionalism and competencies.
Ruta Tekeraoi, Kiribati’s Director of Education, expressed her enthusiasm for this new educational development, saying, “The rollout of the new ECCE curriculum framework is a momentous occasion for Kiribati. It is the first time in the history of Kiribati to have a uniform curriculum across the country. For effective implementation, we are committed to ensuring that our teachers are well-prepared and equipped to provide the best possible education for our early learners.”
The PacREF initiative, under its Priority Area 4, has strongly emphasised improving teacher professionalism. Through effective partnership and collaboration with various stakeholders, including country representatives, UNICEF and development partners, PacREF has mobilised resources to address the pressing educational needs of Kiribati.
Key influencers of this transformative change include curriculum developers and storywriters, who have played an instrumental role in shaping the new curriculum. Training facilitators and teachers have also been integral in implementing these changes, making the curriculum transition smoothly and effectively.
One notable change this initiative has brought about is the introduction of vernacular reading books alongside the ECCE curriculum. Teachers have undergone specialised training in Read Aloud Techniques, allowing them to engage young learners effectively.
The PacREF programme includes components such as in-service and continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers and training for untrained educators. These elements aim to enhance teachers’ skills and knowledge, ultimately benefiting Kiribati students.
The rollout of the new ECCE curriculum commenced this month on one of Kiribati’s outer islands. Teachers underwent comprehensive training to understand and become familiar with the curriculum and its associated Teacher’s Guide. Reading materials, closely aligned with the curriculum, were also distributed to teachers. Moreover, they received training in reading aloud, a crucial technique for fostering early literacy skills among young learners.
“The ambitious venture is still in progress, with further efforts focused on ensuring that the curriculum is effectively implemented across all regions of Kiribati. The Ministry of Education and its partners remain dedicated to providing the best possible education for the nation’s children, setting the foundation for a brighter and more promising future for the people of Kiribati,” Ms Tekeraoi added.
The Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) is a ground-breaking regional initiative designed to support and address ongoing challenges to improving the Pacific region’s education system. Fifteen Pacific Island countries are participating in the PacREF programme implementation. The adoption of the PacREF 2018-2030 by Forum Education Ministers in 2018 outlined the transformative and sustainable regional education agenda aligned with global agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG4, the education goal and Education 2030: Incheon Declaration on Education for All Framework for Action. The implementing agencies for PacREF are the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)- Educational Quality & Assessment Programme (EQAP), USP- Institute of Education (IOE), Discipline of Education (DOE), Pacific TAFE, UNICEF, UNESCO and the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC).
Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) jointly fund the programme.
Ends For more information, please contact:
Ms Kelera Serelini -Varawa, PacREF Facilitating Unit (PFU), Tel: +679 2729060, kelerayani.varawa@usp.ac.fj
