Chimbu Province Universal Basic Education in 2019
There are six districts in Chimbu Province and 19 LLGs. The province’s population in 2011 was 376,473 with a growth rate of 3.4% from 2000. The province accounted for 5.2% of PNG’s total population. The most populated district was Kerowagi (25%), followed by Kundiawa/Gembogl, which had 21%, Gumine (15%), Sina Sina/Yonggomul (15%) and Chuave (10%).
Chimbu Province has the highest mountain in the country (Mt.Wilhem). The high and rugged mountain terrains in the province make it difficult for road construction and maintenance. The harsh geographical context of the province makes it difficult for remote and isolated communities to access markets and other basic service facilities such as health and education. Lack of road links to Karamui Nomane and the Gumine Districts and absence of other essential links impact negatively on service delivery and access to basic education.
The province has 377 elementary schools and 162 primary schools. Education provision across the six districts varies. Where the physical and economic environment is conducive for certain pockets of the population, positive progress is more likely to take place. Access to basic education is enhanced through improved infrastructure such as roads for in the province.
Figure 1 Access Rate by districts
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Figure 2 Cohort Retention Rate by districts
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Figure 3 Examination Pass Rate by districts
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Descriptive notes
Figure 1 shows that the access rates is estimated at 77 percent of six-year-old children enrolled in the first grade of basic education, higher than in most districts in Papua New Guinea. About eight out of every 10 children who are six years of age are enrolled in elementary prep. The province has the potential to perform better. All districts sit well above the national averages in access rates. It is an encouraging sign for the province because the percentage of children enrolling in elementary prep is higher than the cohort retention rate (56%) and is closer to the net enrolment rates in basic education (84%). This shows that there is an increase occurring in admission of six-year-old school-aged children in elementary prep. Ideally, if Simbu is to achieve the UBE, then we expect access rate to be much higher than the overall net enrolment rate and cohort retention rate.
Figure 2 shows that the cohort retention rates for all districts and the results show that Gumine and Sina Sina Yonggomul retain more students in school until they complete Grade 8. On the other hand, Chuave, Karamui/Nomane, Kerowagi, and Kundiawa/Gembogl show more children leaving school before completing Grade 8. More work is also needed in ensuring that all students who started elementary prep continue schooling until they complete Grade 8.
Figure 3 shows the examination that the provincial examination mark was estimated at 53 percent and for all districts in the province, they performed well below the Grade 8 National Examination average in all subject areas. All districts have maintained the quality of learning outcomes above the national average score except for Karamui/Nomane District (47%). The challenge would be to build on the current achievements and challenge each other to work towards achieving better learning outcomes. There is more room for improvement.
Technical notes
Access to education refers to the number of 6-year-old children who are enrolled in elementary prep expressed as a percentage of population of 6-year old’s of school-age population which is 6 years to 14 years.
Cohort Retention Rate refers to the number of pupils who successfully completed an education cycle as a percentage of the same group of pupils who started the first grade (elementary prep) of the cycle earlier. A cohort retention rate of 100 percent, or all children who started first grade, completing final grade is the target.
Grade 8 Examination Pass Rate refers to examination mean as an estimate of the average achievement in the subject and is found by dividing the sum of marks scored by the number of students. Each examination is out of 50, hence the sum of the three subjects is 150. The average score of the three subjects is divided by 150 and multiply by 100 to get a percentage score. The target would be 100 percent
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