Education leaders and authorities in the Western Province have gathered in Gizo to go through the new Education Act 2023 and Regulations.
Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) has organized the four days training held at the Chacha building last week.
It brought together officials from the Western Provincial Education Authority, school principals, Western Provincial Government (WPG) representatives and education administrators to familiarize themselves with the updated legal and financial requirements of the education sector.
Speaking to Solomon Star in an interview on Wednesday, a MEHRD Policy Analyst Christina Bakolo highlighted the necessity of equipping school leaders, Education providers and Provincial government with in-depth knowledge of the Act, stating that understanding the legal framework would strengthen compliance and ensure that schools receive the necessary funding and support for effective service delivery.
Mrs Bakolo said the new Education Act 2023 is crucial, and this is an important time for us to engage in dialogue and fully understand its purpose to ensure effective support and implementation.
‘’Throughout week, we have been in discussions with the provincial executive to facilitate the signing of an agency agreement between the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MERHD) and the Western Provincial Government (WPG).
“The agency agreement is essential for maintaining continuous collaboration between MERHD and WPG,” she said.
“This will help ensure that education providers understand their responsibilities, enabling them to effectively manage schools, teachers, and students in the province,’’ she said.
Western Provincial Education Authority (WPEA) representatives emphasized the importance of aligning school operations with the new Education Act, which aims to enhance quality education, improve accountability, and streamline funding processes for schools across the province.
The four-day training will cover key aspects, including an overview of the Education Act 2023 and ELF documents approved by the Minister, the Education Legislation Framework (Administration Instructions Overview), discussions on the Agency Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding, and deliberations on the Provincial Education Board’s role in relation to the AA and MOA.
Participants expressed their appreciation for the training, emphasizing that it provided them with a clearer understanding of their roles and responsibilities under the new Act.
Additional training sessions are planned across other provinces to ensure all education stakeholders are well-informed and prepared for the transition to the new legal framework.
Currently, similar training is being conducted in Choiseul and Western Province, while Honiara, Guadalcanal, and Malaita have already completed theirs.
This week, the program will continue in Central and Isabel provinces.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
