APACC

Status and Development Directions on Accreditation and Certification: The Case of Papua New Guinea

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 About Papua New Guinea

The PNG flag is divided diagonally from the upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow Bird of Paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered .

Papua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and many outlaying islands, which are just north of Australia. PNG has a land area of 463,840 sq km, comparatively larger than California. It is mostly covered by tropical rain forests and divided by massive mountain ranges. Sustainable use and protection of its natural resources have attracted worldwide interest in recent years and PNG has taken steps to protect its large gold and copper deposits, natural gas and oil, large tropical forests, extensive maritime fisheries, large areas of arable land for potential agricultural production, and the abundant supply of fresh water.

PNG's population of 5.4 million (July 2004 est.) comprises of around 85% living in rural areas. There is a diversity of physical characteristics and culture depending on the province of origin. The population is growing at the rate of 2.3% (2004 est.) and is predicted to reach 7.5 million by 2020.

Over 800 different languages are spoken. Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, and Hiri Motu spoken in the Papuan region. English language is used in commerce, government and in schools.

According to the 2004 estimates, the age structures indicate 38.3% to be below the age of 15 years, 58% between 15 to 64 years and 3.8% of 65 years and above.
The 1998 Human Development Report o PNG has projected that by 2010 the school age population and the economically active population will have grown by 45% and 67%, respectively.

PNG has had a constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy since it gained independence from Australia on 16 September1975. The Chief of State is Queen Elizabeth II (since 5 February 1952), represented by the Governor General Sir Paulias Matane (since 29 June 2004). The Head of the Government is the Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare (since 2 August 2002). The 1975 Constitution vests the executive power in the National Executive Council, which is headed by the Prime Minister.

The Legislative branch is made up of a unicameral National Parliament, sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly with 109 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms.

Each of the 20 provinces (19 provincial governments and the National Capital District) is headed by a Governor.

1.2 PNG Education System

The Mission of the PNG Education System in the 21st century is to develop an education system that will enable Papua New Guinea become a more literate, educated and skilled nation.

The government's vision is to upgrade the education and skill level of the population through greatly increased access, quality and relevance for all levels of education. The four main programs in education are: access and expansion, quality and relevant education, literacy and awareness, and higher education.

Education and training is considered to be an essential investment in the recovery, sustainable development and future of Papua New Guinea. Education is a top priority for the Government along with health, law and order and infrastructure maintenance.

The Government's priorities for education are: Basic Education and Literacy, Technical and Vocational Education, Secondary Education and Open Learning, and tertiary education.

The Education Reform (which started in 1993) is bringing about both restructuring of the system and reform of the curriculum. The Education Reform is the result of many years of research, consultation and planning by many people. The reforms are guided by the Government's Medium Term Development Strategy (1997-2001 & 2003-2007), the National Education Plan (1995-2004), and the 20 Provincial Education Plans that are based on the National Plan.

The next National Education Plan 2005-2014,Achieving a Better Future, builds on the progress made in the National Education Plan 1995-2004. The new Plan is close to finality and is being submitted to the National Education Board for approval. The vision for the next ten years is integral human development achieved through an affordable education system that appreciates Christian and traditional values, and that prepares literate, skilled and healthy citizens by concentrating on the growth and development of each individual's personal viability and character formation, while ensuring all can contribute to the peace and prosperity of the nation.

The Vision for Technical Education and Training is a system of self-sustaining institutions, under an independent regulatory authority designed to train an appropriate workforce for employment in the formal and informal sectors, including self employment, with linkages to National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board and other recognised training providers.

1.3 Government Technical Education

There are currently five (5) technical and two (2) business colleges in PNG, and are classified as higher education institutions.

Higher Education in PNG is currently defined by the Higher Education Act 1983, as all post-Grade 10 educations, other than theological education. It does not include upper secondary education for Grade 10 graduates, or some institutions and programs that have been classified under the term training.

The inconsistent use of the terms higher education and training has caused some anomalous categorization. The higher education reform will overcome these anomalies by replacing the concept of declared institutions with the concept of accredited institutions and programs. Institutions will be defined by objective assessment of the quality, standards, and relevance of their academic programs, and not by an administratively determined classification.

The TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) system in PNG comprises both private and public provision. Seven Technical and Business Colleges are administered and managed by the National Department of Education. This includes all aspects of curriculum design, development, implementation and evaluation and all operational aspects of the 7 Colleges.

The TVET system in PNG is going through major transformational changes that will introduce new dynamism. The three key players in the provision of technical education and training are the National Apprentice and Trade Testing Board and the National Training Council, both of the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations, and the TVET Division of the National Department of Education.

A TVET Policy had been completed for final approval by the government. This policy will chart the new direction of technical vocational education and training in PNG.

2. STATUS OF NATIONAL ACCREDITATION SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY AND ITS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION

Successive (PNG) governments have identified human resource development as a fundamental priority for social and economic development of the nation. It recognises that its people are very valuable national resource that does not depreciate and its worth potentially increasing. This commitment includes a greater focus on education and training.

In 1995, the Office of Higher Education (OHE) prepared an extensive report, Accreditation and Higher Education in Papua New Guinea, which examined various interrelated aspects of institutional and program accreditation and credit transfer. Several successive HEP consultancies produced further policy guidelines and action strategies.

In 1996, the Commission for Higher Education (CHE) established the Commission for Higher Education Academic Accreditation Committee, but has since been inactive.

In 1997, a Higher Education Evaluation and Planning Workshop resolved that relevance and quality in the higher education sector are best achieved by adopting a national system which deals with awards, accreditation and quality, and advanced standing in an integrated way. It proposed the establishment of a National Higher Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation Committee [NHEQAAC], and that a standing committee be established to interpret existing policy and guidelines and, as required, to develop new initiatives dealing with qualification awards and articulation pathways, institutional and program accreditation, quality assurance management system and advanced standing.

In 2000, a White Paper on Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology ? Enterprise and Education ? was released. It presented a Reform Program to improve the contributions of higher education, research, science and technology to national capacity building. The Office of Higher Education (OHE) was renamed the Office of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (OHERST) with enlarged responsibilities for servicing the Commission for Higher Education (CHE), the National Research Council (NRC) and the Science Technology Council (STC).

In 2002, the Guidelines for Institutional Accreditation were officially launched. The Process of Accreditation applies to universities and higher education (state funded and private) institutions offering post grade 12 programs.

Since the launching of these guidelines, there has been no further information or greater awareness of higher education institutions to seek accreditation.

3. PRESSING PROBLEMS IN ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION IN PNG

The difficulties in obtaining reliable statistical data on higher education institutions were the greatest challenge in the early 1990s. Colleges did not maintain comprehensive data on their current students, and did not know much about what happened to their graduates.

In the early 1990s, there was no system of accreditation and certification of higher institutions and the responsibility for institutional quality management was vested with the institution. The government policies and activities in relation to higher education lacked direction and focus, and the provision of higher education in PNG is falling further behind.

A World Bank report claimed that the economic returns from investments in higher education are lower than those from basic education (primary and secondary education), and consequently, the government decided that expenditure be redirected away from higher education towards basic education.

One of the reasons for the inability of the government to implement the National Higher Education Plan is the disjointed evolution of Acts that establish and regulate higher education.

The Education Act defines Technical Colleges as part of the National Education System. It gives the Secretary for Education the authority to accredit academic programs in these institutions.

The Higher Education in PNG is perceived to be costly, inefficient and characterized by a proliferation of relatively small institutions that are variously responsible to individual government or non-government agencies, or to autonomous governing councils (for example, the universities). This inherited structure has impeded responsiveness to nationally determined needs and the achievement of high standards and institutional management.

Although the framework for institutional accreditation for higher education in PNG had been established, its successful implementation has been hampered due to the following reasons:

OHERST has limited institutional capacities in providing services to the CHE and higher education institutions.
The slow implementation of the National Higher Education Plan for PNG.
The difficulty for the government to maintain satisfactory levels of funding.
OHERST and many higher education institutions lacked staff capacities and numbers, financial management systems, resource planning and management.
The NHEQAAC lacked the capacity and logistics to sustain efforts to accredit and certify higher education institutions.

4.RECOMMENDATIONS IN RELATION TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC REGION

There will be greater access to higher education if there is articulation between higher education institutions and programs. An articulated system would facilitate the development of a National Qualifications Framework that will provide entries and pathways of progression. The combination of accreditation and articulation processes will offer more opportunities for institutional enterprise and cooperative arrangements between institutions.

Achieving global best practices can be achieved through collaborative accreditation and certification with the establishment of a uniform system to evaluate TVET systems on a regional level.

It is our view that the proposed APACC will enhance quality improvement for TVET institutions and greater opportunities for regional collaboration and cooperation.

The following recommendations are being proposed in relation to the establishment of an Accreditation and Certification Body for the Asia and the Pacific Region:

Mobilize CPSC member countries support through active participation, consultation and collaboration on the Accreditation and Certification of TVET institutions that will mark a new beginning for Asia and the Pacific TVET systems.
Establish transparent criteria with a range of independent and external experts to be formed as an integral part of the accreditation process.
Establish strategic institutional alliances and partnerships at national and international levels to share experiences and best practices to promote strengthened institutional capacity.
Establish institutional Accreditation and Quality Assurance Committee at each higher education institution and work closely with APACC.

REFERENCES

Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education, CEPES, UNESCO, 1992.
National Higher Education Plan, Commission for Higher Education, June 1990.
White Paper on Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology, Volume I,. Commission for Higher Education, May 2000..
National Higher Education Plan II, 2000-2004, Volume II (A Reform Plan and Action Strategy to Stabilise and Develop Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology¡ Commission for Higher Education, March 2000.
National Higher Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation Committee. Guidelines for Institutional Accreditation ., Commission for Higher Education. Papua New Guinea National Education Plan 1995-2004, Volume A . Papua New Guinea : Department of Education, 1996. Papua New Guinea National Education Plan 1995-2004, Volume B. Papua New Guinea : Department of Education, 1996. Papua New Guinea National Education Plan 1995-2004: Update 1 . Papua New Guinea : Department of Education, 1999. TVET Corporate Plan 1999-2003 . Papua New Guinea : Department of Education, 1996