Papua New Guinea

Administration: The Ministry of Education oversees the universities, the Commission for Higher Education, the National Department of Education, and the Teaching Service Commission. Papua New Guinea has 20 ministers of education: one at the national level, who also oversees the National Capital District, and one in each of the 19 provinces.

The universities handle their own administration because, unlike other tertiary institutions, they were established by an act of Parliament. They receive funds directly from the national budget, not through the Department of Education, and report to the national government through the Minister for Education. The Commission for Higher Education oversees all other tertiary institutions.

The Department of Education manages education for the entire nation under the direction of the National Education Board. The Department has some responsibility for primary and secondary education, and full responsibility for higher education. Provincial divisions of education and their corresponding education boards manage education at the local level. The Teaching Service Commission oversees all matters related to the terms and conditions of teacher service. Teachers who work for the International Education Agency are not part of the Teaching Service.

Finance: Even though education has been a priority for the Papua New Guinea government, it has suffered historically from a lack of funds. Between 1978 and 1988 education received a 39 percent decrease in real public expenditures. Between 1983 and 1991 education received no increase in funds and the allocation hovered around K 100 million per year, despite increases in student enrollment.

At the end of the twentieth century things seemed to improve. In 1999, the National Charter on Reconstruction and Development outlined five development priorities and primary education topped the list. Meanwhile, the government promised to provide basic education to all citizens, to increase access to higher education, and to improve access for women. The 2001 national budget seemed to reflect these objectives. The Department of Finance and Treasury appropriated K 596.3 million (20 percent of the 2001 budget) to education, more than any other area excluding debt service. The allocation represented an almost 18 percent increase in funding from 1999. The 2001 education budget also included a 9 percent increase in teachers' salaries. The total 2001 budget for Papua New Guinea was K 2.96 billion.

Educational Research: Three institutions conduct most of the educational research in Papua New Guinea: the Research and Evaluation Unit of the National Department of Education, the University of Papua New Guinea, and the National Research Institute. To a lesser degree, research also takes place at the Goroka Teachers' College and other higher education institutions.

The Research and Evaluation Unit, established in 1981, originally evaluated World Bank projects in Papua New Guinea. It expanded in 1984 to include an existing research branch of the Department of Education. Today it provides research and evaluation activities requested by the Department of Education and the provincial divisions of education. Most educational research focuses on curriculum development; staff training and development; planning, management, and administration; literacy; higher education; and vocational and technical education.