Port Vila, Vanuatu – Monday 2 October 2023: The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the annual Education Services Directorate planning workshop held from 25 to 29 September 2023 in Tanna.
The planning sessions, organized by the Education Services Directorate, brought together approximately 35 participants, including all six provincial education officers, provincial education advisers, Education Services activity managers, staff from the Policy and Planning Directorate and representatives from key organizations such as the Australian government funded Vanuatu Education Support Program (VESP), Save the Children and UNICEF.
According to the Director of Education Services, Mrs. Nanise Lapi, this planning workshop will strengthen education delivery across Vanuatu’s provinces. “The primary objective of the workshop was to improve planning and implementation strategies at the provincial level, emphasizing the incorporation of school priorities and the MoET Corporate Plan into provincial plans,” Mrs. Lapi said.
Mrs. Lapi further noted that it was encouraging to see Education Services Directorate activity managers present comprehensive overviews of their work and progress, enabling provinces to understand the central-level initiatives across various areas.
All provinces shared the details of their efforts in supporting education outcomes, highlighting achievements, challenges, and innovative approaches.
MoET’s Policy and Planning Directorate outlined the planning process, emphasizing the importance of aligning activities with the Minimum Quality Standards in schools and the Ministry’s Corporate Plan. The session included practical activities guided by VESP to support the alignment process.
The Policy and Planning Directorate’s monitoring and evaluation team collaborated with VESP to present an overview of MoET’s approach to monitoring and reporting. These sessions provided valuable resources, tools, and guidance to develop provincial targets, data collection methods, and reporting procedures.
The MoET Director General, Mr. Bergmans Iati, was pleased with the planning session outcomes, saying they fostered greater coherence across the departments. “The sessions were very valuable, fostering collaboration, problem-solving, and knowledge sharing between central and provincial levels,” Mr. Bergman said.
Participants appreciated the opportunity to address challenges collaboratively and share successful practices, thereby enhancing their understanding of how to work together effectively.
All provincial education officers drafted their 2024 plans during the week. The workshop also helped participating experts enhance their education and management expertise by encouraging them to share their experiences regarding literacy initiatives, curriculum implementation, professional development for teachers, principal management, inclusive education and information technology.
The Ministry views the planning workshop as a significant success. It has fostered relationships, understanding, and respect between colleagues at both the central and provincial levels. More effective, collaborative relationships are expected to contribute positively to distributing and clarifying education delivery in the provinces, resulting in greater alignment with the Ministry’s mission to enhance the quality and management of education across Vanuatu.
The development partners present were thankful to the Director of Education Services for the invitation as the workshops provided an opportunity to learn more from the provincial education officers through discussions and presentations.
The MoET and schools across Vanuatu are committed to delivering the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.