A total of 174 teachers In Training (TIT) who have pursued the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) Training Program have graduated with certificates, diplomas and graduate diplomas in teaching.
These teachers were part of the graduates that attended the graduation ceremony organized by SINU on Wednesday 22 August, 2024 at the Seventh Day Church Marananatha Hall in East Honiara.
Of the total, 29 teachers graduated with Certificates in Teaching (Primary), 95 graduated with Diplomas in Teaching (Secondary) and 50 graduated with Graduate Diplomas in Education.
Not only is this a significance achievement for teachers who have had no teaching qualifications but also for the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) and the SINU for the collaborative approach taken to ensure teachers in the country are continually supported in their professional development and training. Global research in education to date shows that the single critical factor that impacts on students learning are the teachers. When teachers are prepared well for their teaching responsibilities, they can make a difference to their students’ performances.
The Teachers-in-Training project was made possible through MEHRD contract agreement with SINU who facilitated the Certificate in Teaching Primary, Diploma Teaching in Secondary and Graduate Diploma in Education under Teachers in Training Program.
The project was funded by the Australian Department Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign and Trade (MFAT) through the Education Sector Support Program (ESSP).
A similar contract agreement engaged the University of the South Pacific (USP), Solomon Islands Campus to facilitate training to the first cohort of primary TIT. A total of 110 teachers graduated with certificates in teaching (primary) in 2023.
The training of TIT is linked to the Ministry’s National Education Action Plan (2022-2026) strategic goal of improving quality and relevance of education. This policy framework emphasises recruitment of qualified teachers – persons who have a minimum academic qualification required for teaching their subjects at the relevant level.
MEHRD also emphasises that teachers should have sufficient pedagogical training which encompasses educational theory, teaching methods, child development, classroom management and assessment in addition to focused study in languages, mathematics and sciences.
