Adult Education Advocacy Work in PNGthrough Global Action Week

Joachim Orapa-ASPBAE CDAS Officer, C/-PNG Education Advocacy Network (PEAN)

joachim.aspbae@gmail.com

Project “CSEF-Global Action Week”Programme goal: increase awareness to government and

participation by government annually.• Most significant change: Increase in support and participation

by government departments like National Department of Education, Department for Community Development, National Literacy & Awareness Secretariat, and civil society organizations in PNG. Govt departments made commitments to support in terms of resources in the years to come. GAW will be included in the Annual Education Calendar and will be commemorated annually throughout the country.

• Previous situation: Papua New Guinea has no idea and knowledge about what Global Action Week is all about. GAW is totally a new concept/event in the education system in Papua New Guinea.

• PNG Education Advocacy Network took the lead and mobilized state agencies and civil society organizations and officially launched GAW on 19th April 2010. I (Joachim Orapa, ASPBAE CDAS Officer) was the Steering Committee Chairperson for GAW and mobilized all CSOs and state actors in education.

• During the launching, we demanded the government, donors, developers, businessmen and women to fund education including adult education. We demanded the government to increase annual education budget by 20% and 6% of this to adult education.

• The Minister for Education was unable to attend but delegated his Assistant Secretary-Policy and Planning to give the key note speech and also take note on the demands given. The Department has accepted the demand and is now pushing for 20% increase in education budget through the annual budget process. Special provision for adult education will be considered in the resource allocation in the years to come.

• PEAN will also be working closely with the National Literacy and Awareness Secretariat to review the National Literacy Policy and where policies surrounding adult education will be included.

• The Minister for Department for Community Development, Dame Carol Kidu, MP has fully supported PEAN’s work and will be pushing the government to make special provisions in the budget for adult education, also Informal Education and Life Long Learning Sector.

• PEAN has increased number of partners and coalitions who are players in adult education programs through the Global Action Week mobilization.

PEAN – Papua New Guinea Education Advocacy Network was established in 2003 with the support of ASPBAE Australia. It is a coalition of civil society organization . The number of partners especially education players and advocates has increased especially recently.

PEAN’s Objectives are:

1) To provide a focal point through which civil society can contribute to and influence education policy outcomes

2) To gather and provide evidence based information on education matters, strengthen research capacity of PEAN and members.

3) To act as an information source for civil society organisations with an interest in education

4) To strengthen the capacity of its members , and civil society more broadly, to actively participate in education policy dialogues and formulation.

With further funding support in the years to come, I will support build the capacity of PEAN to increase advocacy and lobby for the Govt of Papua New Guinea to include Adult Education Programs in the formal education systems. Also increase awareness to the general public, schools, CSOs etc during national and international events like GAW, National or International Literacy Week/Day, etc.After learning more from the BLDC I will be in good position to help build the capacity of PEAN and its coalitions in advocating and lobbying for adult education and policy issues.