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The challenges of free education in Papua New Guinea
Grant Walton, Tara Davda: Development Policy Centre, Australian National University;
Peter Kanaparo: SBPP, University of Papua New Guinea
University of Papua New Guinea
Introduction
Tuition Fee Free policy introduced in 2012 - flagship policy of the O’Neill-led government
• Many changes since 2012
• Today we’ll examine the impact of recent policy decisions on:• Schools, district administrations, the Church and local communities, two
provinces with different capacities
• Builds on previous quantitative research (Howes et al, 2014) that examined the initial roll out of the TFF policy in 2012
• In this presentation we look more closely at a small number of schools to understand the why and how of free education policies.
Policy Update: ‘Free’ Education
• In 2012 full TFF subsidy paid to schools – school fees banned
• In 2016, TFF policy is:• A cash administration component - 40%, • A teaching and learning component (for school materials) - 30% • Infrastructure component - 30%
• Although yet to be fully implemented, 2016 TFF policy suggests:• Schools will be paid less• Proposed establishment of District Education Implementation Committees (DEIC)
• In 2015, school project fees banned
What impact have these policies had on schools and other institutions?
Aim
• Better understand impact of education and decentralisation policy reforms
• Partnership between University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) and the Australian National University (ANU).
Methodology
• Research:• Qualitative and quantitative• Semi-structured, structured, and
focus group interviews • 200 respondents• Respondents were key education
stakeholders • 10 schools sampled – 5 in each
province; two provinces; four districts
• Snowball sampling• Comparison with same ten
schools in 2012
Fieldwork
• Relatively good service delivery
• In part because of historical and cultural factors (Bray 1985; Errington and Gewertz, 1993)
EAST NEW BRITAIN
Geographic, historic and social challenges- 2002-12: Reports that most children going to school fell from 63 to 37 per cent (Howes, et al 2014)- Schools with one teacher to three grades- Lack of teaching materials- High transport costs
GULF
School-level trends
Stabilised enrolments over the past four years
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
All (10 schools)
Stu
de
nts
School Enrolment Average
2012
2016
50% of students are female
Percentage of enrolled students who are female
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
% F
em
ale
en
rolm
en
ts
2012
2016
Enrolments up in ENB, down in Gulf
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
All (10 schools) ENB Gulf Church Government
% c
han
ge -
20
12
-1
6
Stu
de
nts
School Enrolment Average
2012
2016
%Change
Classroom in Gulf
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
2012 2016
Nu
mb
er
of
stu
de
nts
to
te
ach
ers
Student - Teacher ratio
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
2012 2016
Nu
mb
er
of
Teac
he
rs
Working teachers
Signs of improvement with teachers
1. The most remote schools failed to retain staff
“Teachers are not teaching in remote schools and most of them are and want to teach in and around Kikori station” - District Official, Gulf
2. Misallocation of staff:
“Some schools are overstaffed, meaning the head teacher and one or two senior teachers might not have a class. I checked against the number of classes and started pulling out positions and reallocated teachers” - Standards Officer, East New Britain
But…two key challenges
Schools were charging higher project fees in 2016
12
47
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
2011 2012 2015 2016
Kin
a
School and project fees (adjusted for inflation)
School fees Project fees
In 2016 official fees were higher in ENB and Government schools
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
ENB Gulf Church Government
kin
a
Project fees and School Fees by School Type, 2016
School fees Project fees
The TFF policy is turning church-run schools into government schools
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
All (10 schools) ENB Gulf Church Government
% of National funding for schools
2012 2015
““Before it [government funding] was coming to the church and we monitored, and there was improvement. Now when [funds go] into the schools, the head teacher, the board…we have no say…”
(Senior Church administrator)
[This school…] can be [classified as] a government school because there’s no [financial] contribution from [the church]
(Head Teacher, church school)
Dispute over the right to charge project and agency fees (see: PNG Post-Courier, 3 May, 2016)
Churches are losing control
A system stretched: Formal and community oversight
Standards Officers: a heartbreaking job in Gulf
“I've come a very long way, but I give up. I have the willpower but not the means to go into my schools. It is very frustrating. I am not [supposed to be] an office worker, yet I sit here all day…I can't get out to teachers or schools. There is no money for travelling, nor money for photocopying…”
(Standards Officer, Gulf)
Infrequent oversight means that communities are doing it for themselves…how are they doing?
More people and women on the BoM
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2012 2016
% c
han
ge
Nu
mb
er
Averagenumber onBoM
% of BoMmembersfemale
Without regular engagement from Standards Officers…
•No checking of how funds spent
•No one to mediate disputes• Two competing BoMs in a number of schools
“I am trying to be the BoM chairman. I was once, but was sidelined by the treasurer and secretary…There is [ongoing] conflict over who wants to be the chairman”.
(ex-BoM Chairman, Gulf)
District Education Infrastructure Committees
•Great confusion and concern about the proposed DEICs
•Concerns about management of DDAs, particularly where MPs are not held to account
• Likely to lead to increased costs as contrators are engaged to build infrastructure rather than communities.
Conclusion
• We are (still) cautiously optimistic about the TFF policy• More teachers; more people and women on the BoM; Equitable gender
ratios; stabilising enrolments, etc
• There are significant challenges:• School quality particularly in Gulf affects enrolments
• Getting teachers to teach in remote schools
• Ensuring accurate information
• Funding arrive in a timely fashion
• Marginalising church-run schools – a key provider of education in PNG
• Communities are poorly supported, and signs that voluntary contribution is declining
Recommendations
•Diversifying funding: •Allowing all schools to charge project and agency
fees• Further delaying the roll out of District Education
Implementation Committees (DEICs) • Training for communities in financial management,
conflict resolution and engagement•Adequate support for Standards Officers • Improve information sharing and quality
