Jiwaka Province Universal Basic Education in 2019
Jiwaka is a newly established province. The province comprises three district; Anglimp/South Waghi, Jimi and North Waghi. There are 6 LLGs in the province. In 2011, the population was about 343,987 with a growth rate of 5.6% from 2000. The province accounted for 4.7% of PNG’s total population. Anglimp/South Waghi District is the most populated district comprising 56% of the population followed by North Waghi (23%) and Jimi (21%). Of this population, there are about 89,203 school-age children (6-14 years old) in the province.
The province has 227 elementary schools and 93 primary schools. Education provision across the four 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 district 
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Figure 2 Cohort Retention Rate by district
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Figure 3 Examination Pass Rate by district
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Descriptive notes
Figure 1 shows the access rates of 61 percent and generally, district results are above the all-PNG averages in the key UBE indicators except for Jimi District with a lower access rate. The district has to double its effort in enabling all six-year-old children to enter first grade (elementary prep) of basic education. Generally, for every 10 six-years old children in Jiwaka Province, six are enrolled in elementary prep in 2019.
Figure 2 shows that the cohort retention rates (CRR) of 65 percent for the province and the province’s performance in the cohort retention rate are outstanding. All districts maintain satisfactory cohort retention rates. However, more students drop out of school. For every 10 students that were enrolled in elementary prep years earlier, about seven continue schooling until they successfully complete Grade 8.
Figure 3 shows the examination pass mark is estimated at 59 percent and all districts have shown exceptional performances in learning outcomes that can be considered satisfactory. The challenge would be to build on the current status and challenge each other to work towards achieving better quality education for all students. There is still 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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