SINTA calls to introduce new Education Bill in Parliament

The Solomon Islands Teachers Association (SINTA) calls on the government to urgently introduce the New Education Bill in Parliament.

SINTA General Secretary, Mr. Robert Lafisi, made the call in an interview with SIBC news.

He said teachers have been waiting for the bill since 2012.

“This is very important because the teachers are waiting for this new education bill.”

“Work on the bill was started way back in 2012, and to date, teachers have now waited for 11 years,” the SINTA General Secretary said.

He added that such delay also causes detrimental to the lives of teachers as they are physiologically affected.

He said this new education bill urgently needs to be brought to the parliament for two reasons.

“One is that the current Education Act is outdated and is no longer conducive to the education system in the country.”

“The other is that it deprives teachers of a new scheme of service because they still have served using the 2011 handbook,” Mr. Lafisi said.

He also explained in the book’s preface that it is supposed to be reviewed every three years.

He said this shows that teachers have used three consecutive books.

“The current handbook was published in 2011. It was supposed to be reviewed again in 2015, then in 2019, and this year is supposed to be the third review.”

“These three consecutive years have deprived teachers of what their working conditions should be,” Mr. Lafisi explained.”

Last year, the Minister of Education and Human Resources Development, Hon. Lanelle Tanagada has outlined progress towards improving the national teaching service during the World Teacher’s Day Celebration.

According to Hon. Tanagada, the Government’s priority programs include the Education Bill 2022, the Curriculum Development project, the Senior Secondary Education Improvement Project, the Professional Teacher Development project, and the Classroom Assessment Framework and Guideline that aims to improve teachers’ ability to assess students’ learning.

She said the Government’s intention and priority is to see a new teachers’ scheme of service being implemented along with the new Education Bill once it is passed by Parliament.

The current draft will see new teachers and leaders’ administrative instruction replacing the current Teaching Services Handbook.

Once endorsed it is anticipated that the teacher’s scheme is fair, implementable, and promotes career progression for teachers.

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By Simon Tavake