Presenter: John Yandawai (Mr.)

Schools as Effective Agents for Agricultural Extension

1. Introduction2. Organization3. Background/History4. Programs5. Student Enrollment6. Courses 7. Agriculture Education and PNG Education

Reform8. Capacity to Expand9. Partners10. Problems11. Conclusion

UOG is the Premier teacher training institution in the South West Pacific

1961 - Goroka Teachers’ College (GTC) established as a primary teachers college.

1968 - GTC converted to a secondary teachers’ college.

1975 – GTC Became UPNG Campus 1995- Enrolled first intake of Bachelor of

Education students 1997 – Became a University It has 3 Faculties (Education, Humanity,

Science). Agriculture is a section in the Department

of Science Agriculture & Health within the Faculty of Science

Chancellor

Vice Chancellor

PVC Academic PVC Admin

Dean Faculty of Education

DeanFaculty of Science

DeanFaculty of Humanity

HODHome Economic & TVET

HODMaths & Computing

HODSci, Agri & Health

CoordinatorAgriculture Section

Organization

Background/History of Agriculture Education at UoG

1960’s and 1970’s - Agriculture taught in PNG high schools as an important non-core subject.

1974 - a one-year agriculture teacher education was offered at GTC on the advice of the NDOE.

The students who enrolled for the program were graduates of agriculture colleges.

1989 Advanced Diploma Introduced

1990 - PVTE & PGDE introduced and ADT phased out. Agriculture students majored in Science or Commerce within two years with all education courses on offer.

1997 - Agriculture Education Degree program begins.

2007 -Bachelor of Agriculture Extension Degree program started.

Undergraduate Diploma & Degrees Agriculture Education

Diploma in Agricultural Education (1 yr) Bachelor of Education In-service Secondary (2

yrs) Bachelor of Education In-service Primary (2 yrs) Bachelor of Agriculture Education (Pre-service 4

yrs) Agriculture Extension

Bachelor of Agriculture Extension (4 yrs)

Postgraduate Diploma/ Degree Post Graduate Diploma in Education

(Agriculture) (1 yr)

Programs and Student EnrollmentNO PROGRAM PREREQUISIT

EYEARS

AWARD TEACH AT

1 PVTE Cert/Diploma in Agriculture

1 Diploma in Teaching Agriculture

Primary – Lower Sec , Voc/tec

2 PGDE Degree in Agriculture Plus

1 PGDE Upper secColl-Uni

3 Bed In-service Secondary

Diploma in Agric Education

2 Bachelor Agric Education Secondary

Upper secColl-Uni

4

Bed In-service Primary

Diploma in Primary Ed

2 Bachelor of Agric Ed Primary

Primary, low sec

5 Bachelor of Agriculture Education (pre-service)

Grade 12 & Foundation year science

4 Bachelor of Agri Education

Lower secUpper sec Tech/voc

6 Bachelor of Agriculture Extension

Grade 12 foundation yr science

4 Bachelor of Agriculture extension

Agr Ext & teaching

To educate highly qualified agriculture teachers to teach in primary schools, high schools, secondary schools and teachers colleges and Universities throughout PNG and the Southwest Pacific in line with cliental needs (ie NDOE Curriculum statement).

To produce appropriately trained agriculture extension officers to work as agriculture extension officers in government organizations, non government organizations and the private sector. The main aim of this training would be to reduce poverty, increase food security in line with Governments MTDS policy and other cross cutting policies based on issues like climate change, HIV.

In PNG, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) provides six broad learning outcomes :

“cultural awareness” - equity and inclusiveness, “lifelong learning” – encourage innovation,

creativity and the development of attitude to learning after school,

“knowledge and skills” - clarity and focus in content specification,

“ethics and good citizenship” develop positive moral and ethical values with respect of others based on personal integrity and social responsibility,

“technology” - appreciate traditional technology and understand the use of technology to enhance their lives,

“enterprise” - provides opportunities for students to develop a culture of enterprise and wealth creation, through the demonstration of initiative, and creativity in the formal and non formal settings.

Eight general aims have been developed from the NCS

Give students knowledge, skills and understanding of traditional agriculture

Importance of agriculture in the economy Provide opportunities for students to make a

living Respect agriculture as a means of livelihood Provide them with background for further studies To encourage inquisitive minds in agriculture Identify and contact available resource personnel

to assist in agriculture developments Use available resources to start entrepreneurial

activity

Teachers must be passionate agriculturalists

Must be innovative/creative Be leaders in the field/role models Have high level of ethics and

professionalism Good public relation skills Must be committed Must be prepared to teach agriculture in

very demanding/unfriendly situations

Introduction of Natural Resources Management Courses in Upper Secondary

The emphasis on TVET –agriculture is a component - business enterprises)

Introduction of Technical Vocational Schools

2050 plan which tries to achieve a retention rate of 70% plus of school age children in school from the current 56%.

Lower Secondary Agriculture Strands

Upper Secondary Increase of Teaching Time

(as core subjects)

Sustainability

Agriculture Technology

Agriculture Enterprise

Applied AgricultureForestryFisheriesIntegral Resource Management& optional courses

Time increased from 240-250 min per week

50 minute periods = 5 periods/wk

40 minute periods = 6periods

Applied Agriculture Forestry Fisheries Integral Resource Management Aquaculture

Introduction to applied agriculture Practical Food Crop Production Livestock Production Farm Technology Farm Management Agriculture Economics and Marketing

Applied Farm Management Introduction to Applied research skills Field Crop Production Soil Management Agriculture Extension Optional Courses (apiculture, coffee

curriculum, aquaculture, agribusiness etc)

To successfully provide for a growing need for agriculture teachers UOG needs specialist graduates from UNRE & UNITECH, and others like HATI etc.

Revisit some programs within institutions of higher learning to be a step ahead now that content in Agriculture knowledge would have increased to secondary school

The need for creative graduates is necessary And a need for a collaborative net work to

make sure all Institutions are delivering to standards

While programs have increased student numbers have declined

Selections are cut of by quota system by Education faculty and sometimes they have knocked back selections

Most of the Diploma graduates from Vudal are actually those who are at the bottom so we do not accept them straight after graduation but after 2 or more years of experiences so some good students do not apply again (communication problems)

Those with certificates have problems with English proficiency and organsational skills

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

YR 1999

YR 2000

YR 2001

YR 2002

YR 2003

YR 2004

YR 2005

YR 2006

YR 2007

YR 2008

YR 2009

31

2629 30

2117

24

1815

1917

Showing the total number of student/teachers that have graduated in the years 1999 - 2009

Student numbers

Years Number of students graduated in agriculture education

1999 31

2000 26

2001 29

2002 30

2003 21

2004 17

2005 24

2006 18

2007 15

2008 19

2009 17

Only four academic funded positions One Farm Manager and one Laboratory

Technician 3.9ha Model Farm which is in need of a

lot of basic developments One well equipped laboratory (Funded by

Japan which needs, reagents, lamina air flow, and fume cupboard and others to be fully operational

NDAL PDAL NARI NAQIA FPDA CIC CCI NFA Ramu Agro Industries Until NBPOL took over A number of Private Businesses and

Farmers

There is a vast potential and these are been discussed with NDAL, PDAL, CIC, NFA

Need 8 positions and only 4 are available Lack of Land for expansion Bottle neck in system where we are directly under

HODs and Deans from different fields other than agriculture

Need to have partnerships with organizations who are not part of UoG Agric Section as yet

Need to collaborate with other agriculture schools Universities and Colleges in PNG before we look outside of PNG

Be recognized by the Government, organizations and funding agencies as a part of the overall agriculture education and development in PNG where it plays a key role in producing agriculture teachers who will mould the young in the country

There is a need to realign and upgrade programs and courses to meet the emerging needs of the nation as shown by the upgrade of Natural Resource Management and courses that were taught of as minor before (aquaculture, agribusiness, appropriate technology, rural management and extension efficiency)

Effectively include cross cutting issues like HIV, Climate change, sustainable farming

Need to collaborate with Institutions at the coast for training for coastal crops and conditions for animal husbandry