Higher Education in the Pacific Investment Program–Tranche 2 (PFRR REG 42291)

SECTOR ASSESSMENT (SUMMARY): TERTIARY EDUCATION 1.0 PREFACE 1. This assessment was commissioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on behalf of the University of the South Pacific (USP) with the purpose of undertaking an assessment of the Solomon Islands’ tertiary education sector in terms of the economic and social conditions, the supply and demand for jobs and skills and an analysis of the existing tertiary providers.1 2.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 2. The ADB’s engagement with the education sector in the Pacific and the USP identified a critical importance for USP to optimise complementarity between programs offered by USP and other national higher education2 (tertiary) institutions. By building capacity to objectively assess demand for higher education in each country and to develop a country specific strategy and plan for higher education development, it is anticipated that USP will be able to engage in future such assessments and plans when considering regional campus programs and expansion. 3. As a small country, the consensus3 is that there should be as little differentiation as possible between the post-school sub-sectors. The local view is that a sophisticated education and training system has an absolute focus on employment outcomes and clearly defined pathways between the sub-sectors to allow unencumbered access the ‘next level’ of skills development leading to higher award qualifications. 3.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3.1 The Economic and Social Landscape 4. Understanding the economics and social challenges of the Solomon Islands will help determine the critical role that education and skills development play in fostering social progress and where USP potentially fits into that equation. Understanding and being able to navigate through the complexities and challenges of the Solomon Islands micro and macro political landscape is fundamental to USP’s proposed establishment of the new campus at King George. 5. The Solomon Islands faces some of the most critical development challenges of all countries in the Pacific Islands sub-region experiencing the lowest per-capita income and one of the lowest ranked countries according to the HDI. The Solomon Islands is under considerable pressure from the rapid transition of population size and structure, urbanisation, economic activity and political and cultural dynamics with population growth at around 2.5–3%. Nearly 40% of the population is under 15 and youth unemployment is chronically high, around 80% live in rural areas. Urbanisation has seen the population of Honiara double over the last 18 years with little change in the essential infrastructure and employment related education and training opportunities.

1 One of the major gaps across the sector, which appears to be characteristic of the system as a whole, is the

chronic lack of data collection and reporting systems and statistical information repositories. While it is acknowledged that some institutions keep a range of data relative to their own performance, there is little system-wide data available.

2 The report addresses the ‘language’ of the TVET/Tertiary in section (4.4)

3 Consultations with MEHRD Executive 17-11-14

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6. The Solomon Islands economy can be characterised as that of a lesser developed nation with over 75% of its labor force engaged in subsistence farming, agriculture and fishing. Tropical timber remains the main export product however in recent years Solomon Islands’ forests have been dangerously overexploited and now have a limited life. Cash crops and exports include copra and palm oil with mining being an economic opportunity for the country however landowner and other social issues remain significant risks to development investment. Hospitality and tourism are seen as important service growth industries but this is hampered by a lack of infrastructure, transportation limitations and security concerns. 7. The size of the labor force totalled 202,500 in 2007 with the value of all exports being $216.5 million (2010) with export partners being China (54%), Australia (12.5%) and Thailand (4.6%). The main exports were agricultural products, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, cattle, pigs, fish and timber. Imports (2010) totalled $360.3 million with the main commodities being: food; plant and equipment; manufactured goods; fuels and chemicals.4 8. The ‘political economy’ of the Solomon Islands is an important planning consideration and a new government was installed in December 2014. The new Minister for MEHRD is Dr. Derek Sikua who has an extensive history and qualifications in education and training and was formerly a Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands. There is a feeling within the tertiary sector that he will be a good fit with the education and training portfolio. 9. Corruption real or perceived is a major threat to the stability of the Solomon Islands political economy and especially those organisations, such as USP, who seek to work with the public and private sector in developing King George. Transparency International recently published the results of a corruption survey that ranked the public’s perception of corruption in the education system at the same level as business (29%). 3.2 The Labor Market 10. Despite the existence of the National Human Resource Development Training Plan (NHRDTP) there is still no national approach to labor market planning or analysis exacerbated by role confusion of the proposed NHRDTC vis-à-vis MEHRD as the new council has not as yet been established. 11. The MEHRD has been proactive in pushing the employment and labor market research agenda and have included this role in the strategic business objectives of the proposed Solomon Islands Tertiary Education Commission (SITEC) to be established during 2015. The SITEC will then manage the development of what is likely to be called the National Education and Training Profile (NETP) and a commensurate expectation that the NETP will be the key source of information to be used by training providers, other ministries and donors for the development of their respective scholarship and academic plans. 12. The proposed USP development in the Solomon Islands has the potential to provide a service to a regional population of 3.4 million people of which the Solomon Islands’ population (0.59 million) is the third largest, behind Papua New Guinea (8 million) Fiji (0.880 million). The Solomon Islands has a larger population than other Pacific island countries, a small formal economy with only 43,500 employed in 2009.

4 Solomon Islands Economy: Economic Outlook; ADB; 2014.

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13. The demand for skills that meet international standards of competency in the Solomon Islands is shaped by the size and nature of the formal economy. Pacific ‘small island nations’, are unable to reap the benefits from a concentration of businesses and skills available to large economies due to their size and other features. Remoteness from the main trade routes and the high cost of transport also means they cannot benefit from being close to high-income markets. 14. Employment opportunities in the Solomon Islands’ formal economy are limited apart from working for government and in the provision of basic services. However outmigration is a major way people can improve their living standards. Also return migration and overseas communities through remittances can boost business opportunities in the domestic economy. It is more difficult to predict the rapidly shifting needs of private sector demand so it is therefore important instead to complement broad skills planning with flexible, responsive, demand-led frameworks that quickly and accurately transmit market signals to people seeking to build their skills needed to gain employment. 15. The age structure of the Solomon Islands also provides an insight into the capacity and capability of the workforce to meet emerging economic and social challenges. The Solomon Islands population has an annual growth rate of 2.47%. Age structures are important predictors of the likely demand for Tertiary places and the extent of funding that may be required for the various sectors of education. Human capital is potentially constraining growth in the Solomon Islands, with Melanesia predicated to have a 66% growth rate of 15–24 year-old through to 2050. The proportion of study and work age cohorts needs to be factored into planning, particularly for funding the tertiary sector. 16. The Solomon Islands foregone productive potential is likely to be much higher than the unemployment statistics alone suggest. Youth aged between 15–24 are more than 30% less likely to participate in the labor force than those aged 25–64. The Solomon Islands has amongst the highest levels of unemployment in the Pacific, 56.6% of 15–24 year-olds and 33.2% of 25–64 year-olds (total 39.8% of both cohorts).5 17. Seven out of every ten Solomon Islanders are under the age of 29 and the prevailing economic conditions mean they will face many difficulties in school to work transition. The rural population, which accounts for 80%, in particular, face many constraints to employment and it is estimated that around 40% have never held a paid job.6 18. Seventy-five percent of the workforce is engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing yet the GDP contribution is only around 54%. This imbalance will be further exacerbated by the decline in the forest industry which, after the government, provides the majority of paid employment with over 5,000 workers. Logging, which provides 15% of government revenue and around 60% of exports, is predicted to be exhausted by 2020.7 19. While the industry contribution to GDP of 7.2% is closely aligned to the job market of slightly over 5%, there is a significant gap of 18.6% between the service sector contribution to GDP of 38.6% and jobs of around 20%. The Solomon Islands economic outlook quotes agriculture and fishing as areas of continued development along with the mining sector and

5 Curtain, R; An analysis of demand for skills in the SI labor market; December 2013.

6 Ibid.

7 Solomon Islands Economy: Economic Outlook; ADB; 2014.

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potentially tourism and hospitality, yet these areas are not currently being serviced at anywhere near the labor market levels previously cited.8 20. The formal economy, consisting of wage employees and employers employs only one-in-five (21%) of the employed population aged 15 years and above. Around 37% are employed in the informal economy, either as self-employed, volunteers, unpaid family workers or producing goods such as cash crops for sale. Just over 42% are mainly producing goods for their own consumption in the subsistence economy. The numbers employed in the formal economy in mid-2009 are around 43,000.9 21. A skills mismatch. The Solomon Islands is suffering from a skills mismatch, with human capital a significant constraint to economic growth and social improvement. There are already many social and economic pressures from high youth unemployment and a predicted youth bulge with the working age population expected to increase another 30% by 2020. 22. Employers struggle to find suitable employees and labor supply is not meeting labor market demand. The emerging youth bulge in the Solomon Islands can be directly compared to the same ‘baby boomer’ period experienced by Australia in the post-war period with a priority need to find meaningful jobs and invest in more post-secondary education and training places in advance of the growth being realised. 23. A World Bank report states that employers could fill 53% more positions if qualified candidates were available, yet industry has little confidence in the main providers. Tertiary investment needs to continue to be directed at addressing labor market skill shortages and to more reliably inform and add value to existing government and aid initiatives. The World Bank Report10 reveals there is a mismatch between the supply of Tertiary graduates and the specific skills they require exacerbated by a low regard for the quality of graduates from local tertiary providers. 24. Of the paid workforce, 48% is estimated to be seeking work (defined as unemployed). There are significant gender differences in the workforce as there are more than twice the number of males than females in paid employment, whereas in the informal sector (unpaid work) there are about 25% more females than males.11 25. The Solomon Islands skills demand is identified in 3 categories of employee: worker, specialised worker and professional staff and the Study lists the top future employment skill sets in demand within the next two years. The job functions employers find most difficult to fill are: accounting & finance, information technology and construction & engineering. Employers nominated specific technical or other skills they found hard to find. These skill shortages are prominent at the managerial, professional and technician/associate professional levels. There is also a high demand for trade skills qualifications recognised at industry standard. 3.3 The Tertiary Policy Environment 26. The new Education Act is perhaps the most significant structural and policy change on the Tertiary agenda and proposes an inclusive structure for all sub-sectors of the education

8 Curtain, R; An analysis of demand for skills in the Solomon Islands’ labor market; December 2013.

9 Ibid.

10 Skills for Solomon Islanders; World Bank; April 2013.

11 Ibid.

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system. The new Act is planned to be put to the Parliament early in 2015 and when passed, will provide the cohesion for all national education and training policy initiatives. 27. The National Development Strategy provides the direction for the Solomon Islands government ‘nation building’ imperatives. The education and training elements will be incorporated into the NHRDTP which becomes the strategic response to the mismatch between skills supplied by individuals and organisations and the current demand from employers. 28. The NEAP is the key strategic planning, monitoring, performance assessment and review mechanism for all sub-sectors of education and training to improve education access, quality, student outcomes and management. It is also the key strategy and performance reference point for Donors with relevant management objectives and performance measures included in bi-lateral funding agreements. 3.4 Reform of the Tertiary Sector 29. Two of the most significant reforms are aimed at making the Tertiary sector more internationally competitive through improved quality, measured performance and being more responsive to the needs of industry and business. The proposed SITEC will have a mandate to manage Tertiary (national level) profile planning, provider funding, scholarships, policy, provider performance, labor market planning and grants. 30. Work is also progressing to create the new SINQA and both (SITEC) will be created through the new Education Act, be statutory authorities and will be independent of the MEHRD. SINQA’s core functions will be to register, set and monitor compliance against training provider registration standards, monitor appropriate provider performance, manage the process to develop industry competency standards for training and the accreditation of programs. 3.5 A Synopsis of the Education and Training Sector 31. The future development of the Tertiary sector in the Solomon Islands should be predicated on developing institutional capacity and capability recognising that the integrity and ‘end user’ acceptance of qualifications and learning outcomes are the major determinants of quality. In essence this leads to the willingness of employers to employ graduates. 32. While the Solomon Islands and its economy are still very much in the developmental phase, Tertiary providers who aspire to international recognition must factor into their planning, at least some level of international recognition. The Study provides an overview of to what level have adults studied; who participates in education; how many young people enter Tertiary education; how many young people graduate from Tertiary education; and, how successful are young people in moving from education to work. 33. The poor participation of Solomon Islands peoples in Tertiary and related employment outcomes are a problem the aid and development community care deeply about. Private, public and Donor feedback from local consultations around the status of the education and training sector in the Solomon Islands identifies a number of problem areas that are consistent with the macro level priorities in Solomon Islands government Tertiary strategic policy reform directions. 34. The Study contains an analysis of the key Solomon Islands demographic and employment statistics as a starting point for a more detailed comparison of the country’s Tertiary performance against international standards. Under normal circumstances, there would be an

6

expectation that the majority of Tertiary places would be made available to align human capital development to the demands of the labor market. 35. On face value, the education and training profile of each of the 2 main Tertiary institutions (USP and SINU) are quite different and there appears to be no significant overlap or competition for students with the possible exception of Education. SINU and USP collectively deliver just over 70% of all (post-secondary) programs for Solomon Islands people. The majority (90%) of USP students study externally through print based media. RTC’s deliver 24% of all post-secondary places, however, these are mainly in non-accredited low level programs. The APTC and Don Bosco together deliver 5.9% of places. Participation by young people in Tertiary studies is more often than not affected by the perceived status of the institution offering the program rather than by the quality and relevance of the qualification and skills achieved. 36. The creation of the new SINU and the USP expansion are viewed as tremendous opportunities for the country, however unless the program outcomes, particularly relevance to the labor market are improved, the reform investments will not be maximised. The Solomon Islands is driving significant reforms through the Tertiary sector and the extent and speed of the changes will challenge the capacity and capability of the various government agencies. More direct capacity building support to government would assist in not only meeting the objectives of the reforms but also in speeding up the implementation process. 37. A recent report12 has shown that while Solomon Islands education expenditure is high by international standards, this is largely because of very high allocations for post-secondary scholarships. Scholarships account for nearly 72% of all public expenditure in the Tertiary sub-sector, leaving little direct funding for providers. There is scant evidence to suggest the allocation of places is aligned to labor market needs. Many Donors also make a significant annual investment in off-shore scholarships and in 2014 Australia and New Zealand provided a total of 91 funded places (67.7% Males for NZ) ranging from Bachelor to PhD qualifications across 32 specific employment areas. Fourteen scholarships were awarded in areas broadly classified within the health industry. 38. Current delivery trends suggest a significant misalignment between enrolments and perceived labor market needs with the exception of the regionally recognised education program at 15.4% of total enrolments. Humanities (23.5%) and finance and management (18.8%) while popular with students, are mainly supply driven. Given the economic profile of the Solomon Islands, engineering and trades look the biggest concern representing 17.9% of delivery, 10.7% being non-accredited delivery through RTC’s.13 39. The OECD data provides an interesting analysis considering Australian Tertiary participation rates of 13.1% (all ages) and OECD entry rates of up to 62% (of the study age cohort), the Solomon Islands is persistently underrepresented with around 8,000 students studying annually from a total population of around 600,000 (1.33% of all ages). Internationally up to 40% of the population attain a Tertiary qualification so Solomon Islands rates are well below this number. Only 2% of students who enter primary education continue on to become a Tertiary graduate in the Solomon Islands.14

12

Gannicott, K; Education expenditure and sub-sector analysis; May 2012. 13

Peddle, B; Review and Analysis of Participation in the Solomon Islands Post-Secondary Sector; August 2013. 14

Ibid.

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40. The places either made available to or taken up by women is disproportionate to the male (51.7%) to female (48.3%) population of the country. Participation of females is around 32% of total enrolments compared to males. SINU has 44% and USP 37% of females enrolled, total 39.9%, compared to 52.7% in Australia.15 The data suggests that education and training delivered by the largest providers is supply, rather than industry demand driven. There is little evidence of labor market studies being used to inform the development of training profiles and similarly no clear advice available on participation targets being set. Including gender mixes and targeting programs for women in non-traditional occupational areas such as trades. 3.6 The Social Inclusion Agenda 41. The Study highlights the specific challenges faced by all services providers in the Solomon Islands to achieve social inclusion and also provides a ‘status report’ on current actions and initiatives. The Study goes on to recommend that USP’s proposed development in the Solomon Islands should focus attention on the MDG agenda around promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. 42. The Study also provides detail on the agenda for the inclusive participation of women and highlights the NHRDTP priority actions, policies and strategies to address these challenges. Data on the performance of training providers is also included in the Study and importantly sets out some opportunities for USP to provide leadership across the Tertiary sector in social inclusion in the areas of women, youth, people with disabilities and those who are isolated by distance. 4.0 THE SOLOMON ISLANDS’ SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE 43. Solomon Islands still faces some of the most critical development challenges of all countries in the Pacific Islands sub-region, experiencing the lowest per-capita income and being one of the lowest ranked countries in by HDI. In the post-tension environment, social service and policy processes remain weak and socio-economic change continues to outpace regional communities’ and Government’s ability to respond.16 44. Solomon Islands remains under pressure from the rapid transition of population size and structure, urbanisation, economic activity and political and cultural dynamics with (population) continued growth at around 2.5–3% leading to a significant youth bulge.17 Nearly 40% of the population is under 15 and around 80% live in rural areas. Rapid urbanisation has seen the population of Honiara double over the last 18 years with little change in the necessary infrastructure and employment related education and training opportunities.18 45. The nature of capacity shortcomings is a major issue to be addressed by policy makers further exacerbated by a large highly dispersed population, inferior transport and logistics and communication. Beyond these challenges, education and training policy and provision needs to take into account the highly autonomous nature and small size of remote communities (approximately 5,000 villages). Two Ministries in particular will be called on to work in harmony to address these challenges in terms of the provision of education (MEHRD) and health services (MoHMS).

15

Ibid. 16

High-level Asia-Pacific policy dialogue on the Brussels program for least developed countries; Dhaka, 2010. 17

World Bank 2010. 18

Data extracted from SI Census 2009.

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4.1 An International Perspective 46. The country has undergone significant social and economic upheavals over more than the past decade which have greatly affected its development efforts. Armed conflict arising from ‘tensions’ between rival ethnic groups contributed to the near collapse of the economy between 1988 and 2003. The tensions led to the deployment of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission (RAMSI) to restore law and order. 47. As a result of the conflict and weak domestic revenue generation, the Solomon Islands economy is heavily reliant on external Donor support which represents around 45% of the total GDP. The Australian and New Zealand Governments have provided significant budget support, project and TA funding since 2005. 48. The Solomon Islands was to some extent shielded by the full impact of the GFC due to the relative stability of some of the largest aid Donors to the country although it was particularly hard hit by the Asian financial crisis even before the ethnic violence and the ADB estimates19 that the crash of the market for tropical timber reduced Solomon Island's GDP by between 15%–25%. About one-half of all jobs in the timber industry were lost and of note is that during this period Donor funding was not only maintained the contribution from Australia and New Zealand actual increased in real terms.20 49. Economic recovery generally around the world is slow and with productivity, innovation, investment and trade not yet at full steam and China’s economy is slowing while America is experiencing employment growth. The dilemma for the Solomon Islands however is that economic growth in itself is not enough to drive social development nor is a reliance on Donor funding. The OECD recently stated21 the social cost of the crisis continues to weigh heavily on developing countries with more than 46 million people out of work in OECD countries and cost of living relativities affecting millions more. 50. The scenario for the Solomon Islands is similar with high levels of youth unemployment and restricted access to social services. Understanding the economics and social challenges of the Solomon Islands will help our understanding of the critical role that education and skills development play in fostering social progress. 4.2 Economic Snapshot 51. The Solomon Islands economy can be characterised22 as that of a lesser developed nation with over 75% of its labor force engaged in subsistence farming, agriculture and fishing. Tropical timber remains the main export product however in recent years Solomon Islands forests have been dangerously overexploited. The government has said it will reform timber harvesting policies with the aim of resuming logging on a more sustainable basis. Other important cash crops and exports include copra and palm oil. In 1998 Ross Mining of Australia began producing gold at Gold Ridge on Guadalcanal. This operation has since ceased (September 2014) however mineral exploration continues in other areas.

19

ADB Skilling the Pacific; A study on Solomon Islands (World Bank 2007). 20

Australia and New Zealand Letter of Agreement 2014. 21

Education at a Glance 2014. 22

Data and interpretation from Report on Economic Activity and Labor Force; Census 2009; National Statistics Office (MoFT).

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52. Tourism, particularly diving, is an important service industry for the Solomon Islands and along with tourism and hospitality, growth in that industry is hampered by a lack of infrastructure and transportation limitations and security concerns. Since 2000 the Solomon Islands has become increasingly insolvent having exhausted its borrowing capacity; in 2001 the deficit reached 8% of GDP. The following Table shows the percentage proportion of Solomon Islands exports and highlights the current reliance on timber exports which has a very limited life.

Table 1: Primary Exports23

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

Timber Palm Oil Cocoa Fish Other

53. Exploitation of Solomon Islands rich fisheries offers the best prospect for further export and domestic economic expansion however the Japanese joint venture, Solomon Taiyo Ltd., which operated the only fish cannery in the country, closed in mid-2000 as a result of the ethnic disturbances. Though the plant has reopened under local management, the export of tuna has not resumed. 54. The perception of ethnic tensions has had a major impact on the prevailing economic conditions, not only in terms of the closure of many businesses but also on commodity production across the main areas of the economy. The potential to grow the hospitality and tourism sectors is not being optimised due to low tourist numbers24 and a reluctance of international investors to enter this market due to market and political volatility and security concerns. 55. The composition of the Solomon Islands GDP by the 3 main sectors compared to the relative proportion of the labor market is shown in Table 02. The size of the labor force totalled 202,500 in 2007 however no current data is available on ‘unemployment’ or ‘underemployment’. There is a common view in the Solomon Islands that that it is not so much people being statistically categorised as unemployed. They are in-fact ‘unpaid’ rather than unemployed and work full-time in subsistence activities which is an important consideration when analysing the labor market and skills development needs and priorities. 56. The 2011 estimate for the country’s revenues totalled $313.1 million, excluding aid and expenditure was at $261.7 million, including capital expenditure. The external Solomon Islands debt value in 2004 was $166 million noting the Solomon Islands operates on a calendar year as their fiscal period. The value of all exports was $216.5 million (2010) with export partners being China (54%), Australia (12.5%) and Thailand (4.6%). The main exports were agricultural

23

Solomon Islands Exports Treemap (2009). 24

Estimated at a 50% reduction between 1999 and 2005.

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products, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, cattle, pigs, fish and timber. Imports (2010) totalled $360.3 million with the main commodities being: food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels and chemicals. The significant import partners were Australia (27.3%), Singapore (26.4%), China (6.5%), Malaysia (5.1%) and New Zealand (5.1%).

Table 2: Solomon Islands GDP and Labor Market Comparison

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

Agriculture Industry Sector Services

GDP

Labour

4.3 The Political and Policy Economy of the Solomon Islands 57. By the time this report is published, the general election for the Solomon Islands government would have taken place on 19 November and a new government installed.25 While it is impossible to predict the new directions of the government it is reasonably safe to say the current major TVET/Tertiary reform initiatives being driven by the MEHRD, as described in (8.2) will continue. Understanding and being able to navigate through the complexities and challenges of the micro and macro political landscape of the Solomon Islands is fundamental to an action plan for USP management to ensure the continued support of the Solomon Islands government for the establishment of the new USP Campus at King George. 4.4 Australian Government Regional Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) 58. The objective of the RAMSI was to assist the Solomon Islands government to build a foundation for reform, improved governance and sustainable economic growth after the civil unrest and lawlessness caused by ethnic tensions between 1998 and 2003.26 Despite some recent growth the Solomon Islands economy remains fragile and very much Donor dependant. RAMSI had a mission to address three important political challenges and assist in driving social and economic reform. There remains the challenge of generating political will to drive reform however achieving political consensus is very difficult. It is a given in the Solomon Islands that reforms that are in the national interest and beneficial to the country can be hard to pursue and often MPs put the needs of their constituencies above those of the nation. Corruption is also a major issue to be addressed.

25

Cabinet of the Solomon Islands; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_the_Solomon_Islands. 26

Managing the political economy of development in the Solomon Islands; Rick Hou; October 2012.

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59. Donor funded Advisors27 working with the main Solomon Islands government Ministries such as Health, Education and Finance constantly have to deal with the challenges of political interference in decision-making which more often than not leads to poor outcomes and lost opportunities at both a community and economy-wide level. This challenge is often raised with respect to state-owned enterprises, but it is even more applicable in the wider public service, and is a particular issue in the appointment of departmental CEOs. 60. The joint ‘Core Economic Working Group’ (8.2) continues to be one of the major supporters of the Solomon Islands government reforms program and is influential in ensuring the Government continues to manage the economy well and derive the benefits from growth. The political future of the Solomon Islands is largely dependent on the incoming Government’s ability to deal with improved openness and transparency particularly around the public scrutiny and management of finance and budgets and how the Government makes fiscal decisions. Media scrutiny28 suggests this will be difficult to achieve. 61. The Government’s policy objectives are set out in the NDS29 and are explicitly linked to budget decisions providing guidance on Government decision making. In mid-2013 the RAMSI program entered a transition period leading to an exit strategy and the risk is around ensuring a stable political and economic environment. Maintaining law and order is crucial to this, as is continuing to improve the way public institutions function. Corruption real or perceived is a major threat to the stability of the Solomon Islands political economy and especially those organisations that have to navigate the complexities of the public and private sector when progressing development initiatives. Transparency International30 recently published the results of a corruption survey conducted in the Solomon Islands. Most worrying were the public perceptions of Government corruption and across the public service with education rated on the same level as the business sector, closely followed by health (29%) with 21% of people admitting to paying a bribe for education services. 4.5 Donor Contributions to the Education Sector 62. The Australian-Solomon Islands Partnership for Development was signed on 23 July 2013 in which both Governments pledged to work together to meet common challenges and to achieve improved development outcomes and sustainable improvements in the quality of life of all Solomon Islanders. The Australian and New Zealand Governments have a funding agreement with the Solomon Islands government through a Letter of Arrangement which is currently subject to an annual performance review. The review took place at a time of significant domestic developments that potentially will impact on the agreement including dealing with the restoration of livelihoods and infrastructure following the April 2014 flooding and the forthcoming Parliamentary elections. 63. The Australian Government is the major Donor contributor to the investment in the Solomon Islands Tertiary sector. In 2011 DFAT began planning for an Education Sector Program with a dual focus on improving learning outcomes in the early grades, and on improving skills for employability. Work on the Skills for Employability Program (SEP) commenced in March 2012 to develop a Concept Note for a ten year program. In taking this

27

Feedback from Donor funded advisors at MoFT, MEHRD and MoH; November 2014. 28

Solomon Islands Star; Daily editions 24-30 November 2014. 29

Solomon Islands government National Development Strategy 2007. 30

The Global Corruption Barometer. 2013.

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work forward, DFAT has developed a focused program of bilateral support to improve the quality of skills for employability in the Solomon Islands. The program, which will go to public tender in early 2015, will complement and be informed by the Pacific Education and Skills Development Agenda (PESDA) and the associated Regional Delivery Strategy (RDS). 64. USP has a genuine opportunity to align itself with and potentially benefit from the Australian investment, much of which will focus on local program and service delivery. It is anticipated the Solomon Islands SEP will be driven by quality and meeting labor market demand in an environment of market tested competition. 5.0 GENERAL EDUCATION IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS 5.1 The NEAP 2013–2015 65. The NEAP 2013–2015 is the primary strategic ‘management plan’ for the provision of education and training in the Solomon Islands. The Plan has been critiqued at (8.1.3). In essence the NEAP provides the MEHRD’s strategic directions to improve the country’s education and training system which is challenged by a volatile mix of high population growth, rapid urban drift and young unemployed people. The population has tripled since independence (1978), with 40% under 15 years of age and 60% under 25 years. Gender inequality is a significant constraint to women’s economic participation with 23% of Solomon Islands living below their basic needs. An estimated 17% of adult Solomon Islands are illiterate and only one in three school leavers will find employment. The government lacks resources and capacity to address these problems. The political environment is fragile and the incoming (November 2014) Government may have ‘fresh’ views that could impact on government administration and service delivery. 66. The NEAP is currently subject to review and it is foreshadowed there will be significant changes to the existing TVET/Tertiary related objectives and strategies with more focus on delivering high quality education and training driven by the labor market and not the supply agenda of tertiary institutions. Regulation and systemic quality assurance is also likely to be a key feature of the review outcomes. 5.2 Structure of the SOLOMON ISLANDS Education System 67. The Solomon Islands has a reasonably common education and training system structure although the Year 7 Foundation program provided by USP is unique to the Solomon Islands and automatically assumes that the general education sub-sector is not able to produce graduates who are capable of meeting university entry requirements. 5.3 Literacy and Numeracy 68. The population of Solomon Islands, estimated to be nearly 600,000 in 2013, is predominantly Melanesian (about 95 per cent) although there are also small Polynesian, Micronesian, Chinese and European communities. There are 63 distinct languages in the country, with numerous local dialects. English is the official language but for the majority of people Solomon’s Pijin is the common language used for communication.

69. The official figures for Solomon Islands literacy levels are recorded as being 84.1 per cent as the proportion of the population 15 years of age and older who are able to read and write a simple sentence in any language. The rate is higher for males (88.9 per cent) to females

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(79.2 per cent). Literacy rates are a key focus area of Australia’s Aid program and performance benchmarks31 have been tied to funding grants.

Table 3: The Structure and Pathways of the Solomon Islands Education System32

5.4 Participation Rates 70. The education system is heavily reliant on community and mission schools and there are only two government schools (government national secondary schools). The national summary of participation rates (enrolment numbers) by education levels, 2009–2011 (excluding tertiary education) is provided below.

31

As referenced in the CEWG performance matrix and joint Donor Letter of Agreement with the Solomon Islands government.

32 Solomon Islands government Education Strategic Framework 2007–2015.

14

71. Compulsory education begins at the age of six with primary schooling, covering 7 years of schooling. In 2009, about 96 per cent of all eligible children were enrolled in primary school. Of approximately 110,500 students enrolled, 53 per cent were boys. The primary education has the highest enrolment compared to other education sub sectors. In 2008, there were 517 primary schools and 161 community schools. Community High Schools include both primary and junior secondary levels.

Table 4: Participation by Education Sub-Sector by Gender33

Year 2009-11

Sub-Sector Male Female Total Male Female Total % Change

ECE 11,423 10,669 22,092 11,458 10,701 22,159 0.30%

Primary 61,162 55,457 116,619 63,657 58,063 121,720 4.19%

Junior Secondary 11,616 13,429 25,045 14,270 12,988 27,258 8.12%

Senior Secondary 8,219 5,379 13,598 9,472 6,053 15,525 12.41%

Total Participation 92,420 84,934 177,354 98,857 87,805 186,662 4.99%

2009 2011

5.5 Structure and Governance34 72. There are four categories of secondary schools in the Solomon Islands: (i) National Secondary Schools (NSS) are boarding schools run by the Solomon Islands Government or church authorities that take students from across the country; (ii) Provincial Secondary Schools (PSS) are schools managed by the Provincial Governments whose students are restricted to the provinces only; (iii) Community High Schools (CHS) are secondary schools that began as primary schools, but were later expanded to provide secondary classes. These schools are built and managed by communities, with the assistance of the church authorities or the Provinces. 73. Non-government schools exist in the Solomon Islands but details are unclear in the literature. The Seventh Day Adventist Church operates a total of four schools, two secondary and two vocational in nature. Church-run primary and secondary schools are an essential part of the Solomon Islands education system. Many of these schools receive financial support from the Solomon Islands Government. There are schools managed by the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Melanesia, the Uniting Church, the South Seas Evangelical Church and the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 74. School committees are responsible for school governance, however teachers are employed by the local Education Authority (EA) and management rests with the Authorities. However salaries are managed through a centralised payroll with MEHRD inspectors responsible for checking education standards. A free fee policy means that schools may not charge fees and an operating grant is provided to schools on a per capita student basis. 75. The secondary education system includes a range of schools: junior high schools, community high schools, provincial secondary schools and government national secondary schools. Junior secondary education includes years 7, 8 and 9; and is provided by national secondary schools, provincial secondary schools and community high schools. Access to junior secondary is difficult, particularly for rural students. Community High Schools are mainly day

33

MEHRD 2012; Performance Assessment Framework Report 2009–2011; SIEMIS. 34

Solomon Islands government Education Strategic Framework 2007–2015.

15

schools whereas the others include boarding facilities. Funding for schools is mainly through a grants system based on per capita student numbers. 76. Senior secondary schools include: community high schools, provincial secondary schools and national secondary schools. Curriculum is managed through MEHRD. Operational management is the responsibility of the school principal. School boards are accountable to an Education Authority. Salaries are centralised through MEHRD. Again a school grant system is based on per capita student with boarding schools receiving additional grant per student. There are two government national secondary schools under the control of MEHRD. Teachers at these two schools are employed as public servants rather than through the Teaching Service. 5.6 Challenges Facing the Education Sector 77. Education in the Solomon Islands was disrupted by civil turmoil between 1998 and 2003 and the tsunami in 2007. Despite extensive reconstruction, the education system fails to meet the needs of the country’s young people. Although primary education is free, school attendance is not compulsory. 78. As a consequence only 60% of students attend primary school. Adult literacy rates are around 75% and may be linked to poor school attendance issues. Language policy is a cause of concern. The language of instruction in all Solomon Island schools is English, although only a small proportion of the population in rural areas or on remote islands is competent in this language. Only approximately 17% of students in the secondary age-group are enrolled in a school. 79. Annual school fees, the costs of uniforms, bus fares and textbooks are a significant barrier to participation in all forms of education by the children of poor families. Secondary school entry is also highly competitive. Places are allocated on the basis of performance in end of year examinations, with fewer and fewer places available at each level of secondary schooling. In consequence, very few students are able to complete the full seven years of secondary study. Even for these students, outcomes are often poor. The education system suffers from a lack of qualified teachers, overcrowded classrooms, poor facilities, and a shortage of basic teaching materials and an inadequate supply of textbooks. Many primary teachers in the Solomon Islands are unqualified or uncertified. Less than half the schools in the country provide safe drinking water and have adequate sanitation35. 5.7 Tertiary Education36 80. The central policy challenge in Tertiary education and training is to expand access to skills development opportunities, especially for the most disadvantaged, while raising its quality and relevance. Skills development through Tertiary level education and training provides the human building blocks for national economic and social progress. Yet access to Tertiary education and training in the Solomon Islands is amongst the lowest in the Pacific and in the world (5.4% of the population hold Tertiary qualifications) and the education system fails to prepare young people for further study and formal employment. Of those that have qualifications, there are too few skilled tradespeople and technicians relative to university qualified professionals. Although planned for 2015, as yet there is no National Qualifications

35

International Council for Open and Distance Education; 2013. 36

SI Education Delivery Strategy; DFAT, 2012.

16

Framework to provide a standard or quality assurance of courses and pathways for students to pursue further education options. 81. A sub-sectoral expenditure analysis37 highlights scholarships represent a high cost option, with every tertiary graduate costing the equivalent of 39 primary school students. Total expenditure across Tertiary education and training accounted for 28% of the education budget in 2012, with 25% in tertiary and 3% in TVET. Whilst allocations to the sub-sector have remained steady over the past 5 years, the composition has shifted with a significant increase in spending on scholarships (from $58.6 million in 2008 to $113.2 million in 2012 – an increase of 93%) while spending on TVET remains worryingly low. MEHRD plans for and allocates resources for around 200 scholarships every year, however political interference results in large numbers of additional scholarships being awarded. 82. This compromises the budget, with resources drawn from other sub-sectors and often leads to a need for supplementary budget allocations. In 2012 the Auditor General’s Office reviewed the Government’s scholarships program (for the years 2007–2010) and found that the Ministry had consistently exceeded its annual budget for tertiary scholarships. The report makes a range of recommendations aimed at improving the transparency of the program and improving education outcomes. 6.0 THE SOLOMON ISLANDS LABOR MARKET 6.1 Introduction and Limitations 83. The TOR sought to include an analysis of the contribution current tertiary education services makes to the economy of the Solomon Islands and particularly how well they addressed labor market demand. Unfortunately, as noted in Curtain38 and by MEHRD39, no information is available on the employment outcomes or wage levels of any post-school education & training graduates. This also applies to a lack of recent and relevant information being available on wage levels by occupational category in the economy. It is hoped and indeed expected that current information on wages and occupations will be available from the 2013 household income and expenditure survey which is expected40 to be in the field around the end of 2014. 84. The second critical point is that despite the existence of the NHRDTP there is still no national approach to labor market planning. This is exacerbated by some confusion as to the proposed role of the NHRDTC who were envisaged to manage the NHRDTP development processes however this group has not as yet been established. 85. The MEHRD has been proactive in pushing the employment and labor market research agenda and have included this role in the strategic business objectives of the proposed SITEC to be established during 2015. The SITEC will then manage the development of what is likely to be called the National Education and Training Profile (NETP) and there will be an expectation that the NETP will be the key source of information to be used by training providers, other Ministries and Donors for the development of their respective scholarship and academic plans.

37

Education expenditure and sub-sector analysis; Work in support of the NEAP Assessment report 2009-2012 and

NEAP 2012-15; K. Gannicott, May 2012. 38

An analysis of Demand for skills in the Solomon Island labor Market; December 2013. 39

MEHRD 2012; Performance Assessment Framework Report 2009-2011; SIEMIS. 40

From discussions with the National Statistician Douglas Kimie (11 November 2014).

17

At the moment, there is very little local and/or regional labor market analysis performed to inform these crucial funding decisions. 6.2 Context for the Labor Market Review 6.2.1 The Pacific Population and Labor Market Demand for Skills 86. When we think about the proposed USP development in the Solomon Islands and indeed the provision of Tertiary education and training generally across the Pacific, it is necessary to remind ourselves we are talking about servicing a regional population41 of 3.4 million people. Of which the Solomon Islands population (0.59m) is the third largest, behind PNG (8m) Fiji (0.880m).The tables below show the most recent population estimates and projected growth rates. 87. The Solomon Islands has a larger population than most other Pacific island countries, a small formal economy with only 43,500 employed in 2009. The demand for skills42 that meet international standards of competency in the Solomon Islands is shaped by the size and nature of its formal economy. Small island nations, especially in the Pacific, are unable to reap the benefits from a concentration of businesses and skills available to large economies because of their size and other features. Remoteness from the main trade routes and the high cost of transport also means they cannot benefit from being close to high-income markets except through tourism. 88. Data excludes Australia and New Zealand and includes those above 100,000 Employment opportunities in the Solomon Islands formal economy are limited apart from working for government and in providing basic services. However, the WB emphasises that for these countries outmigration is a major way people can improve their living standards. Also return migration and overseas communities through remittances can boost business opportunities in the domestic economy. It is more difficult to predict the rapidly shifting needs of private sector demand. It is therefore important instead to complement broad skills planning with flexible, responsive, demand-led frameworks that quickly and accurately transmit market signals to people seeking to build their skills, such as the area, quality and configuration of technical competencies needed to gain employment.

89. The identification of the demand for skills in an economy has to start with the jobs employers are willing to fund and the services the self-employed are receiving income to provide. This information, in its most comprehensive form, is best sourced from a national census.43 6.2.2 Age Structure of the SOLOMON ISLANDS 90. The age structure shows the size of the future labor supply relative to the current working age population. The age structure of the Solomon Islands also provides an insight into the capacity and capability of the workforce to meet emerging economic and social challenges. Table 07 provides the breakdown by age group. The Solomon Islands population ranks 168 worldwide and the annual growth rate of 2.47% ranks 45th while the birth rate ranks 47th. With regard to Tertiary, the age structures are important predictors of the likely demand for study

41

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Oceanian_countries_by_population (read 27/11/2014) 42

2007 World Bank study on skills in Solomon Islands. 43

Curtain, R; An analysis of Demand for skills in the Solomon Island labor Market; December 2013.

18

places and the extent of funding that may be required for the various sectors of education. For example, the gender mix, while slightly skewed to males, still indicates the need to increase places for women to address the disproportionate participation rates in paid employment.

Table 5: Population by Pacific Country

-

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

7,000,000

8,000,000

9,000,000

PNG Fiji SolomonIslands

Vanuatu Samoa Kiribati Tonga

Pacific Population

Data excludes Australia and New Zealand and includes those above 100,000.

Table 6: Annual Population Growth Rate by Pacific Country

0.00%

0.50%

1.00%

1.50%

2.00%

2.50%

3.00%

3.50%

PNG Vanuatu SolomonIslands

Samoa Fiji Kiribati Tonga

Pacific Population Annual Growth %

91. The WB44 noted that human capital is potentially constraining growth in the Solomon Islands, with Melanesia predicated to have a 66% growth rate of 15–24 year-old through to 2050. The proportion of study and work age cohorts needs to be factored into planning, particularly for funding of the Tertiary sector. The time period where there will be significant pressure applied to the labor market to create jobs can be tracked through the age cohort movement as will be the case for interventions, such as literacy and numeracy support required for the study aged cohorts. 92. The WB Report also suggests that in the Solomon Islands the foregone productive potential is likely to be much higher than the unemployment statistics alone suggest. Youth aged between 15–24 are more than 30% less likely to participate in the labor force than those

44

Skills for Solomon Islanders; Opening new opportunities; World Bank; Stephen Close; Honiara; 26 April 2013.

19

aged 25-64. The Solomon Islands has amongst the highest levels of unemployment in the Pacific, 56.6% of 15–24 year-olds and 33.2% of 25–64 year-olds (total 39.8% of both cohorts)

Table 7: Solomon Islands Population and Age Structure (2013)45

AGE STRUCTURE % Male Female

0 - 14 years 36.8 113,030 106,527

15 - 24 years 20.0 61,244 58,027

25 - 54 years 35.0 106,525 102,452

55 - 64 years 4.3 12,586 12,930

65 years and over 4.0 11,598 12,329

Total by gender 304,983 292,265

Total population (2013 estimate) 597,248 93. Tertiary institutions will therefore need to ‘gear up’ to ensure that the limited number of places they provide, offer the best return on investment to the country. The predicted growth in young people can also be seen as an opportunity for the Solomon Islands as they will have available a much larger working aged population which if aligned to an investment in jobs, will potentially yield a significant economic return to the country. 94. The Table 08 shows the Solomon Islands ‘population pyramid’ estimate by gender for 2013 noting the youth growth rate in particular indicates that there will be a commensurate growth in the demand for places in Tertiary institutions and these places will need to be aligned to the demand for jobs both locally, regionally and internationally. 95. The Table 09 is provided to highlight the disproportionate growth of 15–24 year-old young adults in Melanesian countries relative to their Pacific neighbours. The country faces many challenges in this regard. However there may also be opportunities for Solomon Islands youth to find work (and remit money) in other countries. Particularly if those countries experience economic growth and do not have the requisite human capital to supply their own labor markets. 96. The Tertiary sector has a challenge to respond to the implications of the data found in the key employment statistics detailed in Table 11. It shows the proportion and number of people who are employed on paid and subsistence employment. Seven out of every 10 Solomon Islanders are under the age of 29 and the prevailing economic conditions mean they will face many difficulties in school to work transition. The rural population, which accounts for 80%, in particular, face many constraints to employment and it is estimated that around 40% have never held a paid job. Providing more training in metropolitan centres will not necessarily help those in regional locations as the (anecdotal) evidence suggest that the majority of places are occupied by those in closest proximity to the institution. RTCs do fill the regional gap to some extent, although the training is usually relevant to subsistence work in local communities. 97. A macro level example of how the labor market and demand for Tertiary education and training will change over the next few years, can be assumed from aggregating industry (labor market) sub-sectors which contribute to the country’s GDP into three primary groups, namely agriculture, industry (broadly) and services per Table 10. Seventy five percent of the workforce

45

Source: Solomon Islands Census 2009.

20

is engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing yet the GDP contribution is only around 54%. This imbalance will be further exacerbated by the decline in the forest industry which, after the government, provides the majority of paid employment with over 5,000 workers. Logging, which provides 15% of government revenue and around 60% of exports, is predicted to be exhausted by 2020.

Table 8: Solomon Islands Population Pyramid (2013)46

Table 9: Oceania youth population projections (2010–2050)47

REGION 2010 2050 VAR # Growth

Melanesia 1,658 2,757 1,099 66.28%

Micronesia 96 100 4 4.17%

Polynesia 126 129 3 2.38%

New Zealand 628 679 41 6.53%

Australia 3,147 3,671 524 16.65%

TOTAL 5,655 7,336 1,671 29.55%

Table 10: Comparison of GDP and the labor market (2013)48

46

Source: CIA World Fact Book; Estimates 2013 based on Solomon Islands Census. 47

Source: University of Otago & University of Waikato; April 2013. 48

CIA World Fact Book; 2013.

0

20

40

60

80

Agriculture Industry Services

GDP

Jobs

21

98. While the industry contribution to GDP of 7.2% is closely aligned to the job market of slightly over 5%, there is a significant gap of 18.6% between the service sector contribution to GDP of 38.6% and jobs of around 20%. The Solomon Islands economic outlook quotes agriculture and fishing as areas of continued development, along with the mining sector, and there is also potential for more tourism and hospitality, yet these areas are not currently being serviced at anywhere near the labor market levels previously cited. The data shown later in the Study at Tables 27 and 30 details the current training activity by field of study, as they broadly relate to the labor market sub-sectors. 6.3 The Size of the Future labor Market 99. Curtain49 provides a simple modelling analysis to estimate the number of jobs that will be needed in the future by applying the non-farm employment-to population ratio in 2009 to the projected working age population aged 15 years and above in 2015 and 2020. The non-farm employment-to-population ratio in 2009 was 24.1 per cent. Applying the same ratio to future projected population in 2015 and 2020 gives the following results. 100. This basic modelling exercise shows that a further 11,000 jobs are needed in 2015 and in 2020 and another 11,000 jobs just to maintain the same non-farm employment-to-population ratio of 2009. 6.4 Employment Structure of the Solomon Islands Economy 101. The 2009 census asked what type of work/activity a person usually does according to eight employment categories: government or private sector employee, employer to self-employed, voluntary work, unpaid family worker, producing goods for sale and producing goods for own consumption. To give a broader overview of the employment structure the categories are grouped into three broader types of economies: formal, informal and subsistence. 102. The formal economy, consisting of wage employees and employers employs only one-in-five (21%) of the employed population aged 15 years and above. Around 37% are employed in the informal economy, either as self-employed, volunteers, unpaid family workers or producing goods such as cash crops for sale. Just over 42% are mainly producing goods for their own consumption in the subsistence economy. The numbers employed in the formal economy in mid-2009 are around 43,000. The following table groups these two data sets.

6.5 The Characteristics of the Labor Market 6.5.1 An Overview 103. Curtain’s report suggests the total number of people aged 15 years and over in employment recorded by the 2009 census is 208,118. However, if the focus narrows to non-farm employment, the number falls to 73,814. Using the education and skills-based occupational classification system ISCO, it is possible to identify the number of occupations that require at least the completion of secondary school education or a post-school qualification. The number of these education or skills-based jobs is 37,251 or half of the total non-farm employment.

Table 11: Key Employment Statistics (2012)

49

Curtain, R, 2013; as cited (page 11).

22

EMPLOYMENT GROUP NUMBER %

Employed population 81,194 100.0

> males 54,536 67.2

> females 26,658 32.8

Employed - over 15 years 64.4

Employed to population % 23.7

> males 31.4

> females 15.8

Employed 15 - 64 years 60.23

Subsistence workers 87,913

> males 35,248

> females 52,665

Unpaid workers 41,191

> males 17,861

> females 23,330

Labour force participation 67.0

> males 63.3

> females 62.1

Labour force participation 69.0

15 - 24 48.5

15 - 64 83.2

Unemployed 4,331 2.0

> males 2,490 2.3

> females 1,841 1.8

Unemployment rate 39.8

Labour force in paid work 34.3 Note: This table is provided to show the high level statistics of the number of people, by various categories including age cohorts, who are employed or unemployed in the Solomon Islands. The table is primarily used as a reference point for other analysis provided throughout this report

Table 12: Future Job Numbers and Projected Growth (2009–2020 Projected)

Year Jobs Growth

2009 73,814 Base

2015 85,073 15.25%

2020 96,159 13.03% 104. The following table listing the skills-based occupations shows the demand for skills in the non-farm sector in Solomon Islands. At the senior officials and professional levels, the only occupation that has a large number is that of teachers. The next largest groups at the professional level are ‘other’ professionals (mainly business and administrative) and Life science and health professionals (mainly nurses). At the technician and associate professional level, the occupation groups range is from 1,072 teaching associate professionals to 187 Information and communications technicians.

23

Table 13: Future Job Numbers and Projected Growth – Formal and Informal Economy

Formal

Economy

Informal

Economy

Subsistence

EconomyTotal

43,506 77,763 86,850 208,119

20.9% 37.4% 41.7% 100%

Government

Employee

Private Sector

EmployeeEmployer Total

15,126 26,878 1,501 43,505

34.8% 61.8% 3.5% 100% 105. The above table shows that four occupational groups have grown significantly in number, two have grown slightly and the numbers in two occupation groups have fallen. The occupational groups that have doubled their number between 1999 and 2009 are in order of importance are: (i) Workers in services, shop & market sales; (ii) Craft and related trades workers; (iii) Elementary occupations and the (iv) Professionals. 106. The occupations with a relatively small increase in their number are clerical workers and technicians & associate professionals. The two occupation groups that have decreased their number are: (i) Legislators, senior officials, managers; and (ii) Plant & machine operators and assemblers. These results show that in the past decade the employment opportunities for clerical staff and technicians and associate professionals are likely to be limited. One factor may be Government Budget pressure on the public sector to limit its growth in employment. 6.5.2 Jobs Occupied by Foreign Workers 107. One of the best informed ways to help understand where skill shortages exist in the labor market is the decision by employers to import workers with particular skills. The skill sets employers are seeking that are not available in the domestic labor market have been provided directly by the foreign worker, not the employer, through the census. Table 15 below shows the occupational profile of the 882 foreign workers who responded to the 2009 census questionnaire50. The major skills sets that government and employers are willing to pay to import are: managerial (22% of all foreign workers), professional (17%), craft & related trades (11%) and the skills of technicians & associate professionals (10%). What is worth noting is the large proportion of semi-skilled plant & machine operators. 6.5.3 SICCI Labor Market Study Results 2011–12 108. In assessing the demand for skills, the NHRDTP study51 estimated that 75% of the potential workforce in Solomon Islands is employed in subsistence (i.e. non-wage earning activities) including agriculture and fishing. The remaining 25% (estimated at 68,784 in 2006) comprise the wage earning segment of the workforce. Of the paid workforce 48% is estimated to be seeking work (defined as unemployed). The survey52 also revealed there are significant gender differences in the workforce, with data suggesting there are more than twice the number

50

Data detailed in Curtain (page 36). 51

The NHRDTP study collected data from three sources: a survey of formal sector employers conducted by Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), government data on employment and job vacancies in the public sector and an individual level survey in rural and urban communities.

52 The survey was a methodology in the “Skills in Demand” Report 2011-12, SI Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

24

of males than females in paid employment, whereas in the informal sector (unpaid work) there are about 25% more females than males.

Table 14: Demand for Jobs by Occupational Group53

Jobs % of Total Jobs % of Total % ChangeLegislators, Senior Officials, Managers 2,502 5.92% 2,305 3.14% -7.87%Legislators & senior officials 988

General managers 747

Corporate managers 229

Retail and other service managers 341

Professionals 6,514 15.42% 13,284 18.08% 103.93%Physical mathematical & engineering science professionals 583

Life science and health professionals 1,525

Teaching professionals 7,773

Other professionals 1,744

ICT professionals 53

Legal, social & cultural professionals 1,606

Technicians & Associate Professionals 3,044 7.20% 3,500 4.76% 14.98%Physical & engineering science 999

Life Science & Health Associate Professionals (except nursing) 473

Teaching associate professionals 1,072

Other associate professionals 769

ICT 187

Clerical Support Workers 2,301 5.45% 2,773 3.77% 20.51%Office clerks 543

Customer service clerks 686

Numerical & material recording clerks 1,363

other clerical support clerks 181

Craft & Related Trades Workers 7,327 17.34% 15,361 20.91% 109.65%Extraction & building trade workers 8,787

Metal machinery & related workers 1,876

Precision handicrafts printing & related workers 2,118

Other craft and related trade workers 301

Food processing, wood working, garment & other craft related workers 2,279

Workers in Services, Shops & Market Sales 7,826 18.52% 16,555 22.53% 111.54%Plant & Machine Operators & Assemblers 5,783 13.69% 5,197 7.07% -10.13%Elementary Occupations 6,955 16.46% 14,500 19.73% 108.48%

TOTAL 42,252 100% 73,475 100%

1999 Census 2009 CensusMAIN SKILL-BASED OCCUPATIONS and SUB GROUPS

Table 15: Distribution of Foreign Workers by Occupational Group

Order Major Occupation Group Number Per Cent

1 Plant & Machine Operators & Assemblers 221 25.1%

2 Managers 193 21.9%

3 Professional 152 17.2%

4 Craft & Related Trades Workers 97 11.0%

5 Technical & Associate Professionals 90 10.2%

6 Skilled Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Workers 42 4.8%

7 Services & sales Workers 39 4.4%

8 Elementary Occupations 33 3.7%

9 Clerical Support Workers 15 1.7%

Totals 882 100.0% 109. The survey has clearly identified that there is a mismatch between the supply of Tertiary graduates and the requirements of private sector employers. Employers also stated they do not have a high regard for the quality of graduates and view the quality of many programs as being very low. The survey clearly identifies three categories of employee: worker, specialised worker and professional staff with the top skill sets in demand within the next two years from member firms in terms of future employment needs identified in priority order as: (i) Accounting and

53

1999 and 2009 Solomon Islands Census and summary adapted from Curtain (pp. 28–29).

25

finance; (ii) Management; (iii) Construction and engineering; (iv) Banking and microfinance; (v) Computing and IT; (vi) Human resource management; (vii) Marketing, sales and customer services. 110. This priority listing is broadly similar to those identified in the previous SICCI surveys but the attributes of the worker has changed. When asked to identify the most important skills/qualities sought from new recruits between 15 and 30 years of age , the priority areas are as follows (highest to lowest): (i) Work attitude; (ii) Communication; (iii) Experience; (iv) Educational level; (v) Decision making; (vi) Technical skills; (vii) Computer and IT; (viii) Analytical skills. 111. In response to the question, “What are the best ways to improve the job viability of youth”? The survey found that the priority key factors in job prospects for youth are having the right attitude, studying a course that is in demand and gaining practical skills. The survey also found that employers place a lot of value on practical experience over theory which in turn suggests the need for results and productivity and not simply having a qualification. 112. These are important factors to be taken into account by Tertiary providers to ensure that programs are relevant to labor market needs, are practically based rather than theoretical and include employability skills to ensure that graduates can become effective and productive employees. The survey also revealed the priority range of occupations employers found the hardest to fill which could mean that suitably qualified and experienced people are simply not available. 113. The job functions employers find most difficult to fill are: accounting & finance, information technology and construction & engineering. Employers nominated specific technical or other skills they found hard to find. These skill shortages are prominent at the managerial, professional and technician/associate professional levels. The demand for trade skills appears to be much less important however this could reflect the target audience for the survey and the SICCI membership.54 114. The purpose of this section of the Study is to provide background information gleaned from the in-country consultations and data from research to help inform an anticipated review of the IAP, against a backdrop of the above labor market analysis. The IAP review would preferably be conducted by or at least led by the USP “taskforce” and as a high priority would include more comprehensive stakeholder discussions and labor market analysis. 115. The following sections of the Study reveal feedback from the in-country consultations and research that should be considered by the USP when following up on the MEHRD’s advice per above. 6.6 Labor Market Analysis Related to USP Indicative Academic Plan (IAP) 116. The report attempts to profile the health industry to provide the rationale for decisions on the education and training response from USP and bring into question the limitations of the process and analysis used to arrive at the conclusions documented in the IAP.

54

It is worth noting that a survey conducted by SICCI in 2006 had a response rate of 63 per cent from a total membership then of 73 active members. World Bank, 2007, Study to Support Development of a National Skills Training Plan, Solomon Islands. Human Development Sector Reports, East Asia & Pacific Region, pp. 5-6.

26

Table 16: Jobs Identified by the SICCI as the Hardest to Fill by Employers

0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0% 14.0% 16.0% 18.0%

Agriculture & Agri-business

Law and Politics

Banking & Finance

Medical

Garment Production

Manufacturing

Logistics

Architecture & Design

HR Management

Marketing, Sales & Customer Service

Management

Construction & Engineering

Computing & ICT

Accounting & Finance

Occupational Group

6.7 Organizational 117. The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MoHMS) manages and administers the public health system on behalf of the Solomon Islands government. The MoHMS is the major provider of health services in the Solomon Islands. While there are some faith based organizations (FBO) and NGO’s that provide a proportion of the nation’s health services, they represent less than 15% of outpatient and inpatient service. The Ministry is responsible for the planning, coordination and funding of all (public) health services however in recent times a small number of private health centers, such as the Honiara Private Medical Centre and the Solomon Equator Medical and Diagnostic Centre have been established. These private organizations represent around 3–4% of the total medical services in the Solomon Islands. The public and church funded hospitals in the Solomon Islands are located at:

(i) Guadalcanal: Honiara – the National Referral Hospital (public) and the Good Samaritan Hospital (Catholic Church)

(ii) Western: Gizo (public) and Munda (United Church) (iii) Temotu (iv) Malita: 1 x public and 1 x Seventh Day Adventist (v) Gela (vi) Choiseul x 2

118. There are 9 provincial health districts headed by a Director, who is usually the presiding doctor, a Director of Nursing and administrative and support staff. The MoHMS is located in a compound adjacent to the National Referral Hospital (NRH) near Chinatown. Immediately prior to the 201455 election Minister was the Hon. Charles Sigoto MP and the Permanent Secretary was Dr. Lester Ross. 6.8 Health Policy

55

Both officers resigned from their positions to contest the 2014 general election.

27

119. One of the key policy and operational challenges faced by the MoHMS is the need to work closely with a number of other ministries whose roles and delegations impact on the ability of the MoHMS to deliver its services. As an example the MPS is responsible for the staffing establishment of the health sector, MDPAC coordinates Donor the aid and development and together with the MoFT, they collectively responsible for budget planning and funding and infrastructure developments. 120. The SI health system drives strategic policy through the implementation of the National Health Strategic Plan (NHSP) 2011–2015; however this is currently being reviewed and a new ‘policy roadmap’ will be developed in the coming months to extend the NHSP to 2015–2018. It will be critical for the USP to consult the sector more broadly to ensure that health based education and training imperatives, which will be key features of the Plan, inform the type and content of Tertiary level programs delivered to Solomon Islands peoples in the future. 7.9 Improving Health in the Solomon Islands 121. The MoHMS is currently undertaking an overall health improvement process56 to achieve its goal of universal health coverage. The new NHSP will detail the policy mechanisms and management actions which will result in a business structure built around the 4 key intervention clusters with sub-interventions of: Community health RWASH Occupational health and safety Food safety/regulation Environmental health Mental health Dental health Eye health Non-communicable diseases Tobacco control Diabetes Addictive drugs/substances Communicable diseases Vector borne diseases Tuberculosis Leprosy Maternal and child health Adolescent health Child health Reproductive health Safe motherhood Nutrition Immunization HIV/AIDS/STIs

56

The review will be the catalyst to update (December 2014) of the National Health Strategic Plan 2011–2015 including the education and training needs of the industry.

28

122. These priority health improvement areas give the USP and other Tertiary providers a contemporary outlook as to what and where the MoHMS will look for education and training to support the goals of the NHSP. 123. An important and growing part of the local health system is community based rehabilitation (CBR). The MoHMS is developing CBR as a key strategic initiative particularly to address the needs of various impairments and disabilities. The matrix at Table 17 shows the key areas under the Health and Education structures. The CBR Division also believe there would be great benefit in having a Disabilities Support course available locally with the target primarily being community based personnel in both the government and NGO sector upon whom theses service needs usually fall. This program would be provided as professional development to existing workers and there may be an opportunity for payment by the MoHMS.

Table 17: CBR Matrix57

HEALTH EDUCATION

Promotion Early childhood

Prevention

Medical care

Rehabilitation

Assistive devices

Primary

Secondary & HE

Non-formal

Lifelong learning

124. The SINU has developed a 2 year Diploma in CBR which for all intents and purposes falls under the banner of public health. The program was developed in conjunction with the University of Sydney (US) and forms the core program for this area of the health industry. The program is not accredited or recognized by US. The program targets recent school leavers (pre-service) and involves a composite workplace and classroom delivery model. 125. While the CBR program is valued and supported by the health sector there is also a gap in the education provision in public health with some58 believing there needs to be a broader range of programs across more specialty areas designed specifically for the Solomon Islands health industry. The Environmental Health Division (EHD) has recently acquired a budget to develop a 2 year Diploma in Environmental Health, possible with the University of Queensland. The EHD is investigating possibly twinning arrangements with SINU to quality assure the degree however the program development is very much in its infancy.

57

Extract from WHO Guidelines for CBR; 2013. 58

From consultation with the CBR Division of the MoHMS.

FINAL REPORT

USP SOLOMON

ISLANDS ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Contract No. 111414-S83635

TA-8511 REG: Higher Education Assessment

Higher Education Specialist (47308-001)

2015

29

126. Specialist training is provided in the Solomon Islands by the Bethesda Disability Training and Support Centre and the Australian Church Christian Centre, SWIM, both located in Honiara. The program runs for 20 weeks, has an enrollment of between 10–12 students with a planned increase to 20 students in 2015. 6.9 USP Indicative Academic Plan (IAP) – Public Health 127. The IAP59 provides the following summary points as the rationale to establish Public Health as its “anchor program” for the Solomon Islands.

USP’s commitment to play an active role in improving the health of the Pacific People

The training of Pacific Islanders in the area of Public Health will help develop capacity for a more sustained development of the islands and create healthier populations.

The Joint Forum Economic and Pacific Health Ministers Meeting Outcomes Statement in July 2014 clearly identifies Public Health as a major concern in the Pacific.

There is no lead Pacific agency which is carrying out this work.

USP is set up as a regional university it has the advantage of developing capacity and sustaining research much better.

Solomon Islands government is attempting to strengthen the rural health system. As is the case in many Pacific countries, the population commonly by-pass the peripheral health centres to access medical attention and pharmaceuticals in hospitals.

The return of Cuban medical programme graduates (100+ commencing in 2014) presents Solomon Islands the opportunity to post medical staff out to the provinces.

With the support of trained public health staff working alongside medical staff in the districts there will be a significant potential to improve public health conditions.

There is a significant need for a quality public health programme within the Pacific region. The region is experiencing the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the world and high rates of mortality from cardiac diseases

In addition, the region experiences public health emergencies from climatic events and tsunamis, and is exposed to significant public health risks of emerging viral diseases.

The public health challenges are many and large but public health education has not received the degree of attention commensurate with its importance or relative to other disciplines and national investments.

6.10 Health Industry Feedback to the public Health Proposal 128. With regard to the USP Public Health (PH) proposal, the following points were gleaned from reasonably extensive consultation with key people in the Solomon Islands health industry with the expectation they will be addressed in the next iteration of the IAP. Overview of Feedback

Generally stakeholders support the notion of USP focusing on PH for the Campus development.

59

Extracted and summarised from the IAC - The Anchor Program - Public Health (3.2) pp.11–16.

30

The new NHSP should drive the education and training priorities and response to the labor market demand.

USP should engage in a significant consultative process with the health industry to map its Tertiary skills development response to the current and future workforce.

The size of the ‘formal’60 workforce is not likely to increase due to constant budget pressures however the size of the ‘informal’61 workforce is likely to increase.

Education and training needs to be provided to both the formal and the informal workforce as both play a pivotal role in the delivery of health service. This is of particular importance to the remote communities and small village areas.

USP should be able to demonstrate partnerships and linkages to medical institutions and organizations outside of the Pacific to ensure the most up to date methods and technology are embodied in their programs.

Health Management and Policy

The MoHMS has a priority to train specialist managers and administrators of the health system. It was said that like many universities, the best doctors and professors are streamed into management but they do not always have the appropriate skills and background to manage these multi-million dollar “businesses”. The objective is to get the doctors back to what they know and do best.

There should be 2 aligned but distinct PH fields of study, namely;

Management and Administrative programs

Technical and medical based programs

There is also a need for lower level introductory management/supervision type programs that allow existing workers to participate and enhance their career options.

All programs should be open to the broader community as it is believed health reform cannot happen alone through the health industry. There are many like industry areas, e.g. tourism and hospitality where training in food handling and services also have an impact on health reform.

Course Structure and Content

The content for PH programs should be developed within a specific Solomon Islands context although it is recognized this will flow from a generic range of competencies and course structures.

The delivery priority is for mixed mode utilizing a combination of face to face and DFL, as well as the engagement of specialist lecturers for technical disciplines.

The PH programs should be developed and delivered in an ‘applied’ workplace setting, embody the principles of workplace training and assessment and action learning, in partnership with local hospitals and medical facilities. It would be unacceptable to have them as purely institutional based.

Public Health promotion and education are important aspects of health improvement and it is important that both are included in the future tertiary provision.

The core of the program should be community based both from a content and learning perspective. Programs must be targeted at and encourage participation from people who work in the formal and informal health system and where possible engage in ‘case based’ learning models.

60

Those people who are in paid work and specifically those employed under the MPS for the MoHMS. 61

Those people who do not receive a salary but are an integral link in the development and delivery of community based services and support.

31

The PH programs must be at a level where they can receive professional recognition by the relevant medical boards, bodies and associations

6.11 Public Health Programs in the Pacific 129. A part of the rationale cited by the UPS’62 to develop a new School of Public Health as its anchor program is founded on the notion that the training of Pacific Islanders in these areas will help develop capacity for a more sustained development of the islands and create healthier populations. This is a strong and valid point that should not be lost in the debate over demonstrated industry need and demand for tertiary level programs here. 130. The Joint Forum Economic and Pacific Health Ministers Meeting Outcomes Statement in July 2014 clearly identified PH as a major concern in the Pacific. Issues include NCDs, pre-mature deaths, obesity and tobacco use. While there is some research being carried out by institutions in the United States and New Zealand on Pacific Health, and in many instances by some Pacific people, there is no lead Pacific agency which is carrying out this work. The School of Public Health at the Fiji National University (FNU) has been doing some work but it is largely Fiji-based. Their involvement in this area with the Health Research Council of New Zealand has extended some of their work in the region. 131. The two main public health training institutions in the Pacific have been the University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Fiji School of Medicine, now the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Fiji National University (FNU). Both medical schools have components of public health practice within their medical curricula, and both house departments of public health for teaching allied health workers from a range of cadres. The Solomon Islands Malaria Training and Research Institute (now disbanded and replaced by the Solomon Islands Medical Training and Research Institute) previously attempted to mount a programme with the support of UPNG but it did not continue. 6.12 Demand for Tertiary Level Public Health Programs 132. Those people consulted from across the SI health sector provided a ‘shopping list’ of possible course areas that Tertiary providers should consider in developing an education and training response to the needs of this industry. What the industry was very clear about was the imperative to have the programs developed, albeit from a recognized starting point around regional and/or international industry standards and acceptable content, to address:

Be structured around Applied learning models

Where possible and appropriate, workplace based for some or all of the program

Be supported (in delivery) by recognized local health professionals

Be developed and delivered in flexible and mixed modes (technology and time based) so that existing workers do not have to leave the workplace for long and sustained periods of time

Be targeted at ongoing professional development of existing workers as the main priority

Provide for recognition of prior learning and current competence

Be in streams of management/administration and technical programs

62

UPS Indicative Academic Plan for the SI; October 2014 (p 11).

32

133. Broad study areas either by way of full programs and/or electives should center on:

Health Management and Planning

Health Leadership and Governance

Strategic Health Systems Project Management

Strategic Health Policy

Bio-Medical Engineering

Food Technology

Laboratory Testing

Environmental Health Regulation and Audits

Water Sanitation and regulatory Controls

WASH

Food Safety, Science and Hygiene

Diabetes Management (50% of cases in the NRH surgical unit are diabetes related) 6.13 Challenges 134. It is important to note that staffing (establishment) for the health system is controlled by the MPS as is the pre-service training for prospective employees through the MPS scholarship program. IPAM also provides in-service training in generic public sector type programs for health industry staff. For 2014–2015 the MoHMS has self-imposed a moratorium on the employment of any more staff due to budget limits. There is currently no growth in the health budget to allow for an expansion of staffing in spite of critical skill shortage areas. The MPS ‘controls’ the health sector staffing establishment and the principle of ‘use it or lose it’ applies the any vacant positions on their establishment. 135. The priority, albeit perhaps a reluctant one, is to focus the attention of tertiary level studies at ongoing professional development. The additional challenge here is that MPS also has responsibility for the funding of in-service scholarships of all ministries within government and there is a limited budget available for off-shore higher level training. 6.14 Solomon Islands Government Public Sector Feedback 136. The new Campus development should consider equally the needs of the public and private sector alike as government is the biggest end users of tertiary level qualifications in the Solomon Islands. The USP should also see government ministries as a key source of labor market intelligence, particularly for jobs that are and will be in need as ministries work though significant organisation reform and workplace improvements. The MPS are also seeking to have the incoming government approve new legislation63 which will give them (MPS) new powers around staffing and on-going professional development and training. 137. A consultation was held with an executive group of the MPS to discuss the role of the Ministry as the facilitator and "employer" of Solomon Islands government staff. The MPS provides a cross-government strategic HR function and controls the budget and establishment for all ‘in budget’ arms of the Public Service. They also have planning role for in-service training through IPAM and scholarships planning and coordination across government. The MPS is also responsible for on-going "in-service" professional development and setting (some not all) policy

63

Anticipated to be at the first sitting of the new Parliament, no later than January 2015.

33

directions for equal opportunity of employment working in concert with the Ministry for Women and Youth Affairs. 138. A role for USP and indeed all Tertiary providers is to provide leadership so that the Solomon Islands government can look at flexible and innovative ways of delivering training, especially for in-service staff. It would also be useful for USP to better understand how the public sector assesses the demand for jobs and skills when determining the basis for the allocation of Solomon Islands government PS scholarships. The role of IPAM is discussed in (9.4.4) of the Study and it would be worth considering how USP might link and/or partner with them, possibly in providing study pathways or RPL credit into further study. 139. The MPS also provided advice on the following issues including what they consider to be their high priority list for Tertiary level studies in the immediate future: Generally

Public Health seen as an important development.

The Solomon Islands Malaria Training and Research Institute now disbanded and replaced by the Solomon Islands Medical Training and Research Institute could be a willing partner in a new public health program depending on SINU’s future academic plan.

USP not a recognised provider of public health although it is a potential niche market area they could develop.

The option to deliver nursing programs is problematic due to perceived competition with SINU. There could, however, be an opportunity to work collaboratively (SINU and USP) on streaming (existing worker) graduates across programs offered by both institutions, e.g. from Registered Nurse to Public Health, specialty areas.

An imperative to build Solomon Islands tertiary capacity and reduce the need for off-shore scholarships.

Program Priorities

Leadership development at the professional level seen as a major gap in the local training market.

Human resource development; the question being why is the Solomon Islands government sending 20 students a year to Divine Word for Leadership and Management when it would seem this program could be delivered locally at far less cost.

Agriculture and Agribusiness.

Nursing; some in demand specialty areas not available at SINU; could this be built into the Public Health program?

Accounting; a high demand area for graduates to work in the public and private sectors but to have the program developed within a local context.

Civil and structural engineering; the Donor investment64 in road, civil engineer and related maintenance areas in the Solomon Islands is massive in terms of the quantum of funds and the scope of the projects to be undertaken.

ICT and Design and Business Systems Development are growth areas with little local Tertiary level supply. There are however quite a number of private sector ICT companies65 who provide generic and vendor specific training.

64

Advice through the Australian High Commission aid infrastructure programs.

34

6.15 Pasifica Employment Services Pty. Ltd 140. To add another dimension to the labor market analysis, feedback was sought from one of two large local employment service providers who work closely with the public and private sectors to provide employment brokerage services. Pasifica respond to employee generated job placement in priority industry areas where employers are seeking to fill positions locally and/or through regional migration. Some of the priority industry demand areas employers are seeking to fill positions are:

Accounts & Finance

Middle management level positions, administration and supervisory positions, and

Construction industry – senior level positions. 141. Current skill shortages have been identified in senior level management positions in:

Engineering ICT Geographical information systems Architecture and interior design, and Financial controllers Accountant positions Project coordinators Construction managers Plumbers Nurses, and Carpenters

6.16 APTC Feasibility Study Labor Market assessment 142. The APTC conducted a comprehensive feasibility study prior to the establishment of the Solomon Islands Campus and country office during November–December 2011. The in-country mission involved ten ministries, four statutory authorities, eight training organisations, three church agencies, seven donor partners or NGOs, over 20 businesses and in excess of 50 individuals. A summary of their primary findings, relative to this Study, follows. 143. Agriculture and Livestock Production. The vast majority of the Solomon Islands population are involved in subsistence/cash crop agriculture.66 The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) and the Commodities Export Marketing Authority (CEMA) are two of many public and private sector organisations supporting the growth of agriculture small business operations at the community level. The 2007 World Bank sponsored study concluded that RTCs and other informal training providers should focus their resources on developing and providing high-quality training in three crucial skill areas: 1) forestry/logging; 2) farming (plant and animal production); and 3) construction.67

65

Solomon IT Solutions, Datec, Advanced Technologies, Positive Developments and Daltron that provide short and often vendor specific training although these courses are not tertiary accredited.

66 APTC Country Profile Solomon Islands, p. 11.

67 Study to Support the Development of a National Skills Training Plan, World Bank, 2007, p. 9–10.

35

144. Public Health. The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is concerned that nurses need to go off shore to extend their knowledge in basic care areas, such as diabetic care, wound care as there is limited ongoing education offered. Senior officers of the Ministry also stated that there is only in-house training for cleaners and cooks in the Central Hospital, which they acknowledge is inadequate to prevent hospital infections and meet the nutritional needs of the patients. Nutritionists need to attend Fiji National University School of Medicine to undertake studies. Local provision of quality training in the health sector is very limited. In 2011 the then SICHE stated that they receive in excess of 900 suitable applicants per year to undertake their Diploma of Nursing but can only accommodate 100. No other health related qualifications are offered with the Nurse Aide course recently suspended and the facilities that were used for conducting the course have now fallen into disrepair. SICHE School of Nursing stated they “would be very happy for APTC to conduct a like course”. 145. Civil Construction. The Advisor was appraised that the Ministry of Works no longer functions and road maintenance and construction throughout the country is being outsourced by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development to private contractors and small community organisations. As there is little or no access to any appropriate training, MID advised that there is demand for skill development in basic and advanced skill development for road construction and maintenance, and for middle management and supervision. 146. Finance and Accounting. Meetings with business and statutory authorities consistently confirmed the World Bank quantitative evidence that employers have great difficulty in obtaining appropriately trained finance and accounting staff and referred to in-house training that they purchased to develop skills within their organisation. The principal of an employment services company68 advised that by far the highest demand experienced by his company was for placement of finance and accounting staff with qualifications beyond those of available locally. Concern was also expressed as to the quality of local programs in this discipline. 147. Middle Management and Supervision. The quantitative evidence in the 2007 World Bank report and elsewhere of a critical need for training in supervision and middle management was supported throughout the Study. Meetings with public and private sector organisations described in detail difficulties when they promoted operators to supervisors and the need for training. Given the lack of quality training available locally, employers stated that they have been and would continue to expend their training and development budgets in this area particularly in workplace training and assessment partnerships with local providers. 7.0 THE SOLOMON ISLANDS TERTIARY POLICY ENVIRONMENT

7.1 Literature Review 148. An extensive literature review [Annex 6] was undertaken to help inform the Study however the primary reference against which the future directions for the Tertiary sector are outlined are relatively few in number. Where relevant, other information and data sources have been duly referenced. Following is a synopsis of the primary country specific strategic policies that are seen to have a direct impact on the future directions of the Tertiary sector and complement the Solomon Islands government’s vision for education and training for the country: Our vision is that all Solomon Islanders will develop as individuals and possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to earn a living and to live in harmony with others and their

68

Principal, Pasifica Employment Services Pty. Ltd. Tuesday, 8th

November, 2011.

36

environment. We envisage a united and progressive society in which all can live in harmony with fair and equitable opportunities for all.69 7.1.1 Solomon Islands Education Act 2014 149. Perhaps the most significant structural and policy change on the Solomon Islands education and training horizon is the proposed new Education Act 2014.70 The proposed USP development will have to “tick all the boxes” in terms of the explicit and implicit directions contained in the new legislation. 150. A White Paper71 introduced the proposed new legislation to the Solomon Islands public and private sector for consultation during May–June 2014 under the auspices of the National Education Board (NEB) by a Taskforce established to supervise the review of the Education Act. The review of the 1978 Education Act (Cap 69) took stock of achievements, trends and patterns in educational provision, policies and practices to chart future directions for the whole education sector. The White Paper sets out a framework for the development of education into the future, against a background of a society facing rapid changes - demographic, social, economic and political. 151. The new legislation proposes an inclusive structure for the education system and includes significant organizational developments and clarifies the role of the MEHRD in governance and strategic management, policy formulation, approval, implementation and monitoring. It also indicates the manner in which an appropriate legislative framework will be provided for key aspects of educational provision in the future. 152. The new Education Act is an important priority of the Government and helps to inform the context of its financial position and its other public expenditure priorities. In this context, the Government will have the opportunity to consider any potential which may exist to reallocate any resources within the education sector. The strategic directions set out in this White Paper reflect the need to ensure the greatest possible benefit from the available resources and this is particularly relevant to the directions of the Tertiary sector. What this means for USP planning 153. The Education Act will be inclusive of all existing levels of the education sector from ECE through to Tertiary education and training as well as Community and Adult Education. This philosophical rationale must have legal grounding in the new Act. It should be noted that the Education Act also provides the mechanism for the establishment of the SITEC (funding, purchasing and infrastructure grants) and SINQA provider registration and national qualifications framework) as well as the national scholarship policy. All of these features are critical to USP planning and operations in the Solomon Islands. 7.1.2 National Development Strategy (NDS)72 154. The NDS is one of the key national planning outputs of the MDPAC and provides the direction and strategy for the ‘nation building’ imperatives of the Solomon Islands government.

69

MEHRD (2007), Education Strategic Framework: 2007–2015, p.11. 70

The Act is due to be put to the Solomon Islands government Parliament early in 2015. 71

Solomon Islands government MEHRD ‘Education Act (CAP69) White Paper’; May 2014. 72

The National Development Strategy; Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination; July 2011.

37

In 2010, the MDPAC was tasked to prepare a National Development Strategy to replace the Medium Term Development Strategy 2008‐2010. Whilst the previous Strategy focused on a Medium term time frame, the NDS is more long term in nature covering a period of 10 years. This Strategy sets out a framework for Development Programs in Solomon Islands and the basis for dialogue with Development Partners and stakeholders for support and implementation of the NDS priorities in the next 10 years. The Strategy is intended to be a catalyst for the achievement of the broader economic and social goals of Solomon Islands which includes education and training. 155. The NDS articulates the Solomon Islands government vision as a united nation in its diversity, hence “A united and vibrant Solomon Islands”. The strategy embodies the aspirations and hopes of the people of Solomon Islands with the overarching theme “To build Better Lives for all Solomon Islanders”. Two policy groups are directed at Education and at human resource development and employment, reflecting national policy and the focus to meet the employment aspirations and facilitate economic growth. A summary of the (Tertiary) education and training priorities from the NDS objective to “ensure all Solomon Islanders can Access Quality Education and the Nation's Manpower Needs are Sustainably Met”. 156. National Education Policy - That all Solomon Islanders will develop as individuals and possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to earn a living and to live in harmony with other people and their environment. Promote effective implementation by strengthening planning, budgeting, management, coordination and monitoring of the sector wide approach. 157. Approach - Review, develop, revise, finalise and implement policies for different sub-sectors and such cross cutting areas as teacher training and development decentralization processes. On the basis of a national demand and need for long term sustainability, seek technical assistance and funding from development partners. To increase service provision within the Solomon Islands, consulting with Private Sector employers on their prospective needs for academic and technical skills, prepare and implement plans to establish the SINU, including development of degree level curricular and the necessary facilities and resources, and establish and/or upgrade technical training institutes in the provinces. 158. Human Resources Development and Employment - Ensure that the education and training system supports economic and social development so that Solomon Islands with the required skills and attitudes will be available to satisfy local and international labor market demand. Establish the National Human Resource Development Training Council (NHRDTC) with planning, coordination and management capacity sufficient to produce, implement, monitor and regularly update the NHRDTP. Ensure that people are equipped to respond to changing economic activities and skill requirements in the formal sector and possess the enterprise and business management skills to create self-employment opportunities in the informal sector. 159. Maximise international opportunities – by increasing market share in accessible labor markets through development of mechanisms to market labor and manage labor migration and establish a National Strategic Direction for labor migration. 160. Government to devise innovative non-formal education to provide skills training to those cannot continue with formal education. Support, and set up where needed, skills training schools focused on employment and targeted at skills relevant to each province's needs, strengths and comparative advantage. Increased labor force participation and employment and a reduction in the level of unemployment through facilitation of Private Sector led economic growth and investment and HRD to improve skills and enable people to participate.

38

What this means for USP planning 161. The Solomon Islands government has set out the linkages and processes by which national development objectives, policies, and strategies founded on a nation-wide consultative process. The NDS translate national development strategies into priority result areas and operational programs and expresses these within expenditure frameworks and annual budgets. Developments such as the USP proposal should demonstrate a ‘fit’ with critical education and training elements of the NDS. If there is any expectation by USP to access Solomon Islands government funding, either through purchasing of places, in-country scholarships, recurrent or infrastructure then the USP proposal needs to link to the MoFT annual budget process. The links through which the NDS will be translated into development actions are shown below.

Table 18: NDS Implementation Linkages

7.1.3 National Human Resource Development and Training Plan 2013–201573 162. The NHRDTP was developed in response to a request from the Solomon Islands government to build on the findings and recommendations of an earlier AusAID, NZAID and World Bank-supported ‘Study for a National Skills Training Plan.’74 These recommendations were used as the basis for the establishment of a National Human Resource Development & Training Council (NHRDTC)75 and the commissioning of the plan development. The goal of the NHRDTP76 is that “Sufficient Solomon Islanders with the required skills and attitudes are available to satisfy local and international labor market demand.” The objective is “To ensure that the education and training system supports economic and social development by 73

The NHRTDP was developed in 2010, reviewed and re-assessed during 2011-12 and finally approved by the Cabinet of the Solomon Islands government in February 2013 and launched during August 2014.

74 Skills for Solomon Islanders; NHRDTP; ‘Informal Briefing Note’ World Bank; Stephen Close; 2013.

75 The NHRDTC has not, as at November 2014, been established. Little detail is available on the status or plans to

develop the Council. 76

SI National Human Resource Development and Training Plan 2013-2015; Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination (MDPAC) March 2011.

39

systematically meeting the needs and requirements of the local and international labor markets”. The approach is part of a transition from manpower planning to flexible skills strategizing. 163. The NHRDTP is the Solomon Islands government’s strategic response to the mismatch between skills supplied by individuals and organisations, including the public sector and the current demand from employers. It focuses on demand, private-sector participation, implementation readiness, and use of existing resources. It also provides the policy directions to reconfigure the training supply system into a demand-responsive system, in which decisions on education and training, such as budget, policies, programmes, curricula, and training, is driven by medium and long-term development priorities. 164. The NHRDTP adds analysis and recommendations particularly for building job-relevant skills, supporting entrepreneurship and innovation, and in particular to support the labor market to better match supply with demand. National planners need to address the broad system in which training takes place: in formal and non-formal training institutions and work places. The Plan supports private sector involvement in planning, employer-based training, and preparation for international labor migration. Alternative pathways are a priority for employment and production skills for those outside formal education and training, including community-based, enterprise-based and ‘second chance’ education. A priority is the reform of practices which reduce, restrict or disincentivize the demand for local labor, or the acquisition or application of skills. 7.1.4 Five key components of the NHRDTP77

(i) Strengthening cross-sector planning and coordination includes establishment of the NHRDTC as the advisory body analysing demand and recommending human resource development priorities.

(ii) Developing an evidence-based system to identify priority skill development areas

that can be met through local education and training and scholarships. Development of information collection and analysis systems would include all economic sectors, public and private, international, national and provincial, to provide a coherent, reliable basis for the identification of education and training priorities in demand by the labor market.

165. The NHRDTC would monitor responsiveness of training supplied by providers.

(iii) Key mechanisms and actions to make the education and training system more responsive to labor demand. This includes defining standards for training based on skills’ outcomes achieved, not only length of training, with industry-led definition of outcome descriptors and alignment of assessment systems. Continue curriculum reform and development of a national qualifications structure. Supplementing training courses with practical demonstration or recognition of prior learning supports clear definition of outcome standards. Quality assurance systems for all government /Donor-funded post-school trainings to ensure compliance with standards. Locally-based tertiary training by USP and UPNG to complement SINU will also help widen access and reduce costs of training. Purchasing and competitive tendering

77

Skills for Solomon Islanders: Opening New Opportunities; An Informal Briefing Note extracted from the World Bank report, Skills for Solomon Islands: Opening New Opportunities, Stephen Close, World Bank Sydney, October 2012.

40

arrangements by ministries and Donors from public and private training providers would help shift focus from investment in fixed infrastructure and staff (input costs) toward increased supply efficiency, reduced cost, and improved outcomes. Workplace-based training would support ongoing skills acquisition even when workers are not able to return to institutional training, and at lower cost.

(iv) Developing enterprise and skills to improve livelihoods in a context of limited formal

job creation. This recognises the need for entrepreneurial workers, and the need for labor force participants to participate productively in self-employment and the informal sector. Enterprise skills could be included in education and training curricula and qualifications, and relevant work placements expanded with private sector consultation. Schools and TVET institutions could expand school-to-work transition preparation programmes to include attitudes and behaviours. Inclusion of non-formal competency-based qualifications would increase the pathways to gain skills.

(v) Identifying and developing labor opportunities overseas, matching skills supply with

demand, facilitating labor mobility and job matching at home and overseas. Implementing the mechanisms identified in the NHRDTP will support the orientation of skills supply systems to demand through improved information flow from the labor market. Encouraging labor migration supported by skills development is a priority. In 2010, Solomon Islands derived only 0.3 percent of GDP from emigrant remittances, compared to 20–40 percent for some smaller island states. Expanding this opportunity for growth and welfare requires: removing barriers to Solomon Islands accessing foreign labor markets; improving the match of skills provision and foreign market demands; expanding labor sending coordination capacity; and integrating market access arrangements within regional trade agreements. Increasing migration opportunities for Solomon Islands are key contributions which Australian, New Zealand and other governments could make.

What this means for USP Planning 166. The USP has an opportunity to gain strong private and especially public sector support by demonstrating its proposed Academic Plan for the Solomon Islands is strategically aligned to and supports the directions of the NHRDTP. This and the NEAP are key instruments to ensure the future success of the USP if its programs and services are unequivocally aligned to local and regional labor market demand, programs are delivered in a flexible and innovative way where practicable, are workplace based. 7.1.5 National Education Action Plan (NEAP) 2013–2015 167. The NEAP78 is the key strategic planning, monitoring, performance assessment and review mechanism used by the MEHRD for all sub-sectors of education and training. These range from ECE to Tertiary with the underlying philosophy to improve education access, quality, student outcomes and management. It is also the key strategy and performance reference point for Donors with relevant management objectives and performance measures included in bi-lateral funding agreements and sub-sector performance analysis.

78

National Education Action Plan (NEAP) 2013-2015; Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD); Solomon Islands government, June 2012.

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168. The current NEAP 2013–2015 is an extension of the NEAP 2010–2012 which was revised during March 2012. The MEHRD is currently79 undertaking a fundamental review of the NEAP, especially around the Tertiary sector objective and performance. It is anticipated the review will make a number of critical recommendations around teacher education, provincial technical college concepts, scholarships, the regulation and quality assurance of the Tertiary sector, funding and infrastructure developments. 169. Some key themes in the NEAP are:

184.An emphasis on improving access for girls in Senior Secondary, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and Tertiary Education.

Inclusive education, such as people with a disability.

Improving the quality of education to lift student learning outcomes.

The availability of high quality teacher professional development

Monitoring and evaluating student achievement

MEHRD will focus its core business of policy, planning, ensuring financial resources and being responsive to emerging educational needs

Education management reform

NEAP plans around five sub-sectors of the education system. Unlike the views expressed in this Study, TVET and Tertiary are dealt with separately.

Early Childhood Education

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Tertiary Education 170. The NEAP 2013–2015 underlines the vision for education and training which declares:

“Our vision is that all Solomon Islanders will develop as individuals and possess knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to earn a living and to live in harmony with others and their environment. We envisage a united and progressive society in which all can live in peace and harmony with fair and equitable opportunities for a better life. We envision an education and training system responsive to its clients and efficiently managed by its stakeholders and clients. We wish to deliver quality education for everyone in the Solomon Islands”.

171. Strategic Goal 1: Summary of (relevant to USP) TVET/Tertiary outputs to achieve equitable access to education for all people: TVET/Tertiary

An inventory of infrastructure needs against infrastructure standards.

Provincial Technical Colleges have been resourced and supported by income generation schemes.

79

Draft Final Report provided to MEHRD October 2014; On-going internal review due for completion December 2014.

42

Increased number of SoE pre-service teacher training scholarships from 150 to 300 per year.

New policy and procedures for awarding scholarships approved.

Assessment that identifies the future labor market needs to be met by graduates of the tertiary sub-sector and this is used to plan the future access requirements for study overseas, on-campus in Solomon Islands and through distance learning opportunities.

SINU implements its development plan that increases local access opportunities in new subject areas.

Scholarship budget has mechanisms that require students to contribute financially towards their study.

172. Strategic Goal 2: Summary of (relevant to USP) TVET/Tertiary outputs to improved education quality objectives;

A layered TVET system has been established for students to enter and qualify at different levels of technical and vocational education granting them access to either further education or the labor market.

Production of TVET curriculum materials for modules in life skills, entrepreneurial skills and business skills towards awards of levels 1 & 2 certificates in accordance with National Qualification Framework and National Curriculum Statement.

An MOU has been established to agree on roles and responsibilities between industries and Ministry of Commerce, Labor, Industries and Immigration and TVET institutions and MEHRD regarding the formal apprenticeship system;

The new Apprenticeship system has been implemented at the end of 2015.

Instructors for TVET trainers meet minimum job requirements and professional standards, including attitude, behaviour and commitment in the workplace.

SINU quality audit has been conducted (SoE and SID)

SINU has achieved the required quality standards and is accorded university status under the SINU legislation passed in 2013.

The cost effectiveness of scholarships and transparency of awarding scholarships for overseas university studies has improved and is linked to labor market demands and merit.

SINU - SoE has adjusted current pre-service and in-service teacher training content and approach so that they are aligned with the requirements of the professional standards for teachers.

173. Outputs Strategic Goal 3: To Manage and Monitor Resources Efficiently and Effectively.

School level

Provincial level

National level

General management

Human resource management

Decentralisation

Information and communication

Planning and financial management

Coordination with development partners

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174. What this means for USP planning. The MEHRD and Donors (to the education sector) will use the NEAP as their primary planning and performance management tool. Tertiary providers, such as USP will be required to identify how and their Academic and/or development plans support and compliment the MEHRD Tertiary reform programs aimed at improving access and quality. Through the NEAP, Donors and MEHRD have identified improving the capacity and capability of SINU and its recognition regionally and internationally as a quality Tertiary provider as a key strategic imperative. USP will need to consider how their programs and the new campus development complement this thinking. 7.1.6 SIG Scholarship Policy 175. The MEHRD established a Taskforce and with the support of the Australian Aid Program, appointed an international Advisor in August 2013 to develop a comprehensive array of strategies to reform the scholarship program. The role of the Taskforce was to guide the scholarship reform process to ensure a fair, equitable, transparent, needs-driven, efficient and sustainable financing system for scholarships. The existing system had few of these characteristics. To date, new Scholarships Policy and Procedures documents have been developed and the Policy approved by the National Education Board in September 2014. A new business system (SIMS) has also been developed and this captures data and other planning information on all existing students and new applicants. 176. The Solomon Islands Tertiary Scholarships Policy 2014 (the Policy) was approved by the NEB in August 2012 with Solomon Islands government approval pending (February 2015) . The Policy is the governing instrument for the planning, funding, management and budget accountability of all tertiary education and training scholarships funded by the Solomon Islands Government. A detailed set of operational procedures accompany the Policy which supersedes all previous policies that in any way refer to the administration of the Solomon Islands government scholarship scheme. 177. The new policy is a critical element of the MEHRD Tertiary reform and a major component to Donor education support programs and funding agreements. The Policy is legally authorised and enforceable under the Education Act (2014) and incorporated in the SITEC and SINQA. 178. The Policy applies to all Solomon Islands government funded tertiary places that are deemed by definition, as a “scholarship”. Where specifically mentioned, Donor and other third party funded scholarships will have to meet labor market demand criteria. The development of this new scholarships policy has been mandated by the NEAP and in response to the achievement of NEAP Strategic Goals and Outputs. The Policy also addresses the Policy Framework and Strategic Action Plan for Tertiary Education. 179. The purpose of the Policy is to clearly articulate to all stakeholders, the strategic directions for the planning, funding and management of all Solomon Islands government tertiary education and training scholarships. It also supports the economic and social objectives of tertiary education; financial sustainability and national mechanisms to ensure equitable access, effective governance and the provision of tertiary education to meet the labor market demands of the public and private sector. 180. The principal objective of the Policy is to provide the authority and framework to enable merit based access by Solomon Islanders to tertiary level studies that will directly

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contribute to the economic and social development of the country. To achieve this objective, the Policy is to be implemented without compromise or external interference. 181. The underlying context of the Policy

Ensure an open and transparent approach to the allocation of scholarships and eliminate the incidence of external interference in the allocation of scholarships ensuring the principle of ‘merit’ applies is adhered to.

Ensure more accountable measures of public scrutiny are explicit in the new policy particularly in terms of fiscal management and expenditure controls.

An objective to gradually decrease the funding of international scholarships commensurate with the improved capacity and capability of local tertiary providers to deliver internationally recognised qualifications.

The allocation of scholarship places is considered within a ‘national plan’ for tertiary education and training, i.e. they do not duplicate planned local provision or that available through more cost affordable distance or mixed modes of delivery.

Maintain and control the total expenditure on Solomon Islands government funded scholarships

Provide access to high quality tertiary level education and training available within the Solomon Islands or internationally.

Provide a measurable link between employment and the graduate’s scholarship study area.

Learning outcomes for graduates that enable them to contribute in a meaningful and measurable way to the improvement of the country’s economic and social situation.

A greater contribution and support by the private sector. 182. What this means for USP planning. All Tertiary institutions who seek to be part of the Solomon Islands government scholarship program will be tied to the policy through an MOU including the funding and a requirement for participation and outcomes based reporting. The Policy sets the framework for greater engagement with the private sector, sets an agenda to decrease the funding of international scholarships in balance with improved capability of local tertiary providers. Scholarships will now include TVET qualifications with places being funded within an inclusive national tertiary education and training structure and driven by the needs of public and private sector labor marketsThe 183. The USP has an opportunity to maximise its access to Solomon Islands government tertiary funded scholarships by providing programs and services to students studying on-shore. This (scholarship) opportunity can be further enhanced by delivering programs that were once only available in Fiji in flexible and mixed modes of delivery where the students would spend more time ‘at home’ undertaking the first 6 – 12 months of their program in the Solomon Islands. 184. The ‘master plan’ and other strategic development imperatives supporting the proposed USP campus development will have to consider a rapidly evolving and changing Tertiary landscape as described below. Ongoing consultation with MEHRD is essential to ensure complementarity of the proposed development with the restructured Tertiary system. 7.2 Reform of the Solomon Islands Tertiary Sector 185. The MEHRD has a major change and reform program underway and with the extent of reforms being both significant and complex. The reforms are being driven in the main, as is the

45

case with other government agencies, a need to ensure greater efficiency and productivity in conducting their business activities, greater public transparency and improved accountability. 186. The strategic drivers of MEHRD’s change and reform agenda reflect and in some cases are financially empowered by Donor partners. The expected future performance of the sector and the funding parameters and targets are documented in the CEWG80 Matrix 2013/2014. It is intended that MEHRD business and fiscal reform will also satisfy the specific requirements of the Australian Aid and New Zealand Aid Letter of Arrangement (2013/2014), Solomon Islands government Auditor General’s Report (2013), the IMF Report (2014), and the World Bank Budget Support Operation (2014). 187. During mid-2013, supported by Australian and New Zealand Aid agencies, MEHRD embarked on a process to review and reform all functional and operational (business) units and activities within the Ministry. The focus of attention was reforming the Tertiary sector, particularly the management and funding of scholarships. 188. The reform initiatives were initially proposed in the NEAP81 and while significant progress is being made, some of the target timeframes will be extended and included in the joint Donor Letter of Agreement 2015–2017. The NEAP directed a range of reforms around restructuring units and divisions based on a functional analysis of future core business supported by system wide changes to HR practices, planning and financial management with stronger coordination of Donor partners. MEHRD’s new approach to ‘doing business’ will be sustained by the cross-government ICT strategy82 and supported by new administrative, school and student information management systems.83 189. MEHRD convened a “Tertiary Think Tank” involving key government and Donor stakeholders in early 2014 with the objective being to chart the way forward for the Solomon Islands Tertiary sector. While Tertiary was the primary focus, planning considered the broader MEHRD reform processes and timeframes with agreement to develop an overarching piece of legislation, a new Education Act, covering all sectors of education and training, from Early Childhood Education (ECE) through to Tertiary as well as incorporating the Solomon Islands National Qualifications Authority (SINQA) legislation. 190. A high level summary of the TVET/Tertiary reforms follows. It should be noted that, where relevant, these reforms complement and align with the direction of the National Human Resource Development and Training Plan 2013–2015 (NHRDTP). 7.2.1 Establishment of the Solomon Islands Tertiary Education Commission (SITEC) 191. A project is currently underway to create the SITEC and to have the relevant legal framework embodied in the new Education Act. Current work covers structure and governance and will feature strong industry leadership. Core functions of the SITEC will be to manage tertiary (national level) profile planning, provider funding, scholarships, policy, provider performance, labor market planning and grants. It will be at arm’s length to the MEHRD, have an independent Commissioner at Permanent Secretary level reporting directly to a Cabinet

80

CEWG Economic and Financial Reform Program Matrix 2013/2014. 81

National Education Action Plan (NEAP) 2013–2015. 82

Managed by the MoFT Information, Communication and Technology Service Unit (ICTSU). 83

For example: SEMIS (School Education Management Information Management System) and SIMS (Scholarship Information Management System).

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Minister. It is anticipated to have the SITEC created by March/April 2015 with an acting Commissioner appointed by the end of February 2015. 7.2.2 Establishment of the Solomon Islands National Qualifications Authority (SINQA) 192. Work is progressing to develop a policy paper for the establishment of the new SINQA with its creation through the approval of the new Education Act. SINQA will be a statutory authority although the legal structure is yet to be determined. It will be independent of the MEHRD, SITEC and training providers. Its core role and functions will be to register, set and monitor compliance against training provider registration standards, monitor appropriate provider performance, manage the process to develop industry competency standards for training and the accreditation of programs. A timeframe for the establishment of SINQA has not been set however it is anticipated to have an implementation plan developed by the end of December 2014. 7.2.3 A Provincial Technical College (PTC) for the Province of Malita 193. Background. A feasibility study84 to establish a PTC at Malita was conducted and reported to the Minister MEHRD in June 2013. The concept of the PTC is to open opportunities to the rural population as a means by which a skilled and semi-skilled labor force can be created for the advancement of economic growth in rural communities as well as service development in urban centres. 194. It is also important to note that Solomon Island youth aged 15 to 24 as well as those pushed out of the education system, need to be engaged in the social and economic development of the nation. These groups of people have the potential to make a significant contribution to the economic and social development of the country if given the chance to develop their skills and knowledge. The Study concluded there is an urgent need to establish a PTC as way to push forward and stimulate social and economic development in the provinces. It also found it is problematic that funding support for such an undertaking will be a priority for the incoming (2014) government in that: “The initial costing of such establishment will require a large part of the government budget. On the other hand there are other options that could be explored such as (i) public-private joint venture developments, (ii) a joint venture with the USP and/or SINU, (iii) consider upgrading existing best practice RTCs such as at Batuna, Airahu, Afutara or St Peters.” 195. Current Situation. MEHRD and Donors have visited the site of the previous Asia Pacific Sustainable Development (APDS) Permaculture Centre, a former Japan Donor project which has established infrastructure and facilities that match in part the requirements of a technical college. At this point it should also be noted that the Australian Aid Program may look to undertake some work in rural areas as part of their education and training investment in 201585 and beyond. Australian aid is currently designing a new skills program with a focus on SINU and selected provinces. It will be led by industry and have a focus on demand driven course development and implementation that meets skills shortages in the formal sector and informal sectors to support business development.

84

Feasibility Study on the establishment of at least one Provincial Technical College per province undertaken by Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development; June 2013.

85 Solomon Islands Skills for Employability Program Design Document; March 2014.

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196. Design Brief for the Malita PTC. A scoping paper was developed86 as a Design Brief to establish the PTC in Malita Province. MEHRD has asserted that a number of strategic concepts be embodied in the final Design Brief87 to ensure the uniqueness of the proposed PTC is highlighted. They are, in no particular order:

To investigate the opportunities around joint public-private sector development.

To investigate the opportunities around a joint USP and/or SINU development

Is a ‘centre of excellence’ in its chosen fields88 of delivery.

It will be a regional facility with streams of study focussing on labor market demand and regional issues and imperatives; e.g. Conservation and sustainable development, climate change, commercial fishing and the environment.

Does not have a total reliance on government funding and accesses grants and generates revenue that is aligned to its vision and mission.

Is a college for students and staff from across the Solomon Islands.

Has a strong commitment and reliance on public and private sector partnerships.

Provides education and training pathways to other TVET/Tertiary institutions both within and outside of the Solomon Islands.

Exemplifies best practice in all areas of the environment through the development and delivery of programs and its own self-sufficiency.

Promotes and supports equity of access for students from regional and remote areas and delivers programs specifically for women and girls in traditional and non-traditional fields of study.

Has a governance structure and is managed by and on behalf of local communities.

Is seen by stakeholders as a ‘Community Education Institute’ by name and nature although this does not preclude it being a ‘named’ campus of a Tertiary Institute.

8.0 A SYNOPSIS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS 8.1 An International Perspective 197. The future development of the Tertiary sector in the SI has to be predicated on developing institutional capacity and capability and a recognition that the integrity and recognition of their programs and learning outcomes are the major determinants of quality. In essence this leads to the validity of the qualification relative to the labor market and the willingness of employers to employ graduates. While the SI and its economy are still very much in the developmental phase, Tertiary providers who aspire to international recognition must factor into their planning, at least some level of international recognition. 198. It is particularly helpful in terms of the future directions of the SI Tertiary sector, especially when considering the impact the new USP campus and the changes being implemented by SINU, to think about the SI in light of its position in the international tertiary community. The planning, service delivery and the performance of the sector should in some measure be compared to some higher level standards so that quality improvement and especially relevance can be measured. There are no universal or internationally agreed benchmarks for participation by age or gender in Tertiary level education and training with most of the attention being targeted at ECE and the secondary sectors of education.

86

Design Brief by BCP Consulting International, October 2014. 87

MEHRD and NEAP priority for February 2015. 88

Final delivery areas to be negotiated and agreed through the National Human Resource Development Plan review process to be conducted by MDPAC and MEHRD.

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199. From an international perspective and particularly in terms of student activity and performance benchmarking relevant to the SI with the OECD providing the most valuable and rigorous comparisons. These however, need to be viewed within SI contexts, particularly the quantum of government and Donor funding available to the country and the ‘work in progress’ around the Tertiary sector, which is subject to many developments targeted at improving relevance (to industry) and performance (quality and quantity). 8.1.1 International Tertiary Benchmarks 200. The following summary level analysis89 is made with a view to give an appetite for the measurement of the Tertiary sector’s future performance and to look at areas the international community think are important for improving quality. Such comparisons help Governments to look at international data on education opportunities and outcomes as they develop policies to enhance individuals’ social and economic prospects, provide incentives for greater efficiency in education and training and help to mobilise resources to meet rising demands.90 Unless otherwise stated, the data relates to OECD performance. To what level have adults studied? 201. Internationally an average of 30% of adults have a Tertiary education compared with around 5% of Solomon Islanders. In 2010 the majority of countries had a rate of Tertiary attainment reaching 38% of 25–34 year-olds. In almost all countries, younger adults have higher rates of Tertiary education than the generation about to leave the labor market. On average 38% of 25–34 year-olds have completed Tertiary education, compared with 23% of 55–64 year-olds. Participation of Solomon Islanders is extremely low against all these indicators. Who participates in education? 202. Virtually everyone has access to at least 13 years of formal education. In most countries, 80% or more of 15–19 year-olds are in education, with girls on average slightly ahead of boys. Whilst in the Solomon Islands for every 100 students that enter primary school, 46 will progress to grade 6, 27 will enter high school, 3 will complete senior secondary school and only 2 will gain a Tertiary qualification. On average, 27% of 20–29 year-olds were enrolled in education, mostly Tertiary in 2010. More women than men are in education in this age group on average. There has been growth, too, in enrolment for 20–29 year-olds, with a 10.1 percentage point increase between 1995 and 2010.91 How many young people enter Tertiary education? 203. An average of 62% of today’s young adults are expected to enter university-level programmes and 17% to enter vocationally oriented programmes over their lifetimes. In 2010, the expected rate of entry into university-level programmes was 25% higher for women than for men. University entry rates increased by an average of nearly 25% between 1995 and 2010, while entry rates for TVET remained stable. The proportion of students entering TVET is generally smaller, mainly because these programmes are less developed in most countries. On

89

Summarised from Peddle, B.; Review and Analysis of Participation in the SI Post-Secondary Sector; Prepared for AusAID SI; August 2013.

90 Education at a Glance; OECD 2014.

91 Education at a Glance; OECD; 2013.

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average, 17% of young adults are expected to enter these programmes, 19% of women and 16% of men. How many young people graduate from Tertiary education? 204. On average, 39% of young people are expected to complete university level education. Graduation rates range from 25% and below to 50% and above in Australia. Graduation rates for young women are expected to be notably higher than those for young men; 47% versus 32% on average. In spite of rapidly expanding demand for university programmes in recent decades, there is also still a place for shorter, vocationally-oriented programmes. On average, 11% of young adults complete vocationally-oriented programmes; as with university level programmes, completion rates are higher for women (12%) than for men (9%). How successful are young people in moving from education to work? 205. On average 16% of 15–29 year-olds are neither employed, nor in education or training (NEET); this proportion increased substantially in 2010 compared with pre-financial crisis levels. Overall, the proportion of NEETs is 4% higher among 15–29 year-old women than among men. In all countries the proportion of 15–29 year-olds not in education is higher for young women than for young men. The lack of an upper secondary qualification is a serious impediment to finding work, while having a university-level degree increases the likelihood of having a job, particularly during difficult economic times. Completing Tertiary education reduces unemployment among 25–29 year-olds by 2.3% compared to those who completed upper secondary education. On average, 47% of 15–29 year-olds are in education. Some 48% of 15–29 year-olds have jobs on average. 8.2 A Context for Assessing the Performance of the SI Tertiary Sector 206. While it is difficult to set Tertiary benchmarks for the SI against international standards, it is important that policy makers have their sights set on these targets and consider them when developing approaches to improve the access, quality and relevance of the education and training. The poor participation of Solomon islander peoples in Tertiary education and training and related employment outcomes is a problem the aid and development community care deeply about. Education and training is essential to the economic, social and ecological development of the country. Quality education and training is therefore not a cost to the country but an investment in a sustainable and productive future where citizens will enjoy an enriched quality of life. 207. Private, public and Donor feedback from local consultations around the status of the education and training sector in the SI identifies a number of problem areas that are consistent with the macro level priorities in Solomon Islands government Tertiary strategic planning directions.92 The USP in particular will be expected to demonstrate value adding in terms of how it goes about providing for the needs of the local and regional economy. Meeting international quality standards is an important step in that process. They are broadly:

Poor participation in Tertiary studies (below regional and international standards)

A questionable alignment between Tertiary places and scholarships and labor market demand

92

Solomon Islands National Human Resource Development and Training Plan 2012–2014; SI National Development Strategy 2011–2020; SI National Education Action Plan 2013–2015.

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A lack of up-to-date and rigorous labor market data and information

Low levels of literacy and numeracy

Low basic skills levels

A lack of access for many regional (outer island) students

Significant gaps in pathways between education sectors

Insufficient places in quality Tertiary programs 8.3 The Solomon Islands’ Story: A context for assessing future performance 208. The SI has for some time been targeted by the international community to assist with the development of its education and training sectors as one of a number of high priority elements of the aid and development agenda. Key issues for consideration are [i] what are realistic benchmarks considering the many variables that have an impact on a country’s performance? and [ii] how to ensure the closest alignment between labor market demand and expectation and the provision of quality programs and services. 209. Tertiary education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competences needed to participate effectively in the workforce. Highly-educated and trained individuals are less affected by unemployment trends, typically because educational attainment makes an individual more attractive in the workforce. Across OECD countries, 83% of people with university-level degrees have a job, compared with just below 56% of those with only a secondary school qualification. 210. An analysis of the SI key demographic and employment statistics provides the starting point for the more detailed comparison of the country’s Tertiary performance against international standards. The strategic management and leadership of the education sector in the SI is well aware of the importance of international comparisons when assessing the current performance and setting the future directions for Tertiary. 211. The USP Academic Plan should highlight how the campus investment will deliver higher levels of performance measured against, for example, OECD benchmarks but certainly against labor market demand. 8.4 An Overview of the Main Tertiary Providers in the SI 8.4.1 The SI Tertiary Education and Training Market 212. The SI Tertiary sector is dominated by two providers, SINU, formerly the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE) and the USP. Both institutions are the subject of a detailed analysis later in this section of the Study. The bulk of Solomon Islands government funding allocated to the Tertiary sector goes to SINU by virtue of grants and/or the purchasing of scholarship places. SINU is seen as the Solomon Islands government ‘owned’ university and is to varying degrees constrained by the prevailing policy approach to the sector. This status will make it difficult for other providers to enter the Tertiary funding market although with the creation of the new SITEC there will be support for on open and competitive market model for the Tertiary. Tertiary education and training is also provided by the SINU based UPNG Open Campus and scholarships to overseas institutions. Overseas study has been noted as high cost and there is a growing emphasis from the Solomon Islands government on developing more cost-effective in-country Tertiary provision.

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213. The following providers deliver the overwhelming majority of accredited Tertiary education and training in the SI and each will be expected to meet the new regulatory arrangements; i.e. provider registration, course development and accreditation and all associated quality assurance standards, under the SITEC and SINQA when these are established after approval of the new Education Act early in 2015.

Solomon Island National University

Australia-Pacific Technical College

University of the South Pacific

University of Papua New Guinea Open College

Goroka University Open Learning Centre

Rural Training Centres, Church and provincial education authorities

Don Bosco Technical Institute

Private Training Providers

Other Church Providers

Off-shore universities and colleges (Scholarships) 214. Competition for Tertiary students will intensify over the next 12 months as other overseas institutions, for example, University of Papua New Guinea Open Campus (UPNG), Canadian International Training & Education Corp (CITREC) and other providers enter the current market. In addition the Churches are also showing interest in the development of their own universities, for example, the Church of Melanesia (COM) has begun development of the John Coleridge Patterson University (JCPU), which is been established in East Guadalcanal. 8.4.2 Solomon Islands National University (SINU) 215. The Solomon Islands National University Act 2012 established the SINU and the Act outlines the University’s governance arrangements, as well as its right to academic freedom, to confer diplomas and certificates, to appoint staff and to recognise foreign qualifications. At this stage there are no confirmed statutes and regulations to inform academic requirements and processes, e.g. quality assurance processes including those related to accreditation and re-accreditation of qualifications. SINU has a mandate from and are financially supported by the Solomon Islands government, to deliver technical and vocational training, tertiary education and undertake academic inquiry and applied research. SINU has four campuses;

Kukum Campus

Panatina Campus

Ranadi Campus

Poitete Campus 216. Kukum, Panatina and Ranadi Campuses are all situated in the Eastern part of Honiara. Panatina Campus houses the biggest school; School of Education. Institute of Technology, School of Business & Management, School of Nursing & Health Allied Studies, School of Natural Resources & Applied Sciences Besides all these schools, Academic and Non-Academic Divisions are all situated at Kukum Campus. Ranadi Campus houses the Institute of Maritime Studies which is the smallest Campus. Poitete Campus comprises the Forestry Institute, an outer campus which is part of the School of Natural Resources & Applied Sciences; it is situated at Poitete, Kolombangara in the Western Province. 217. The SINU has 5 major Teaching Schools;

The School of Technology and Maritime Studies

The School of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences

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The School of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences

The School of Education and Humanities

The School of Business and Management 218. Collectively these Schools deliver a range of programs from Trade Certificates through to Bachelor Degrees. The number and level of qualifications by School is shown below.

Table 19: Number93 and Level of Qualifications by SINU School

02468

1012141618

Number

T&MS

N&AHS

NR&AS

E&H

BM

T&MS = School of Technology and Maritime Studies, N&AHS = School of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, NR&AS = School of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences, E&H = School of Education and Humanities, BM = School of Business and Management.

219. The discipline areas for each of the 5 SINU Teaching Schools are:

(i) School of Technology and Maritime Studies

Plumbing and Allied Trade

Electrical

Carpentry & Joinery

Light Motor Vehicles

Heavy Vehicle & Plant

Industrial Drafting

Marine Engineering (Class IV to Class VI)

Surveying

Construction Management

(ii) School of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences

Community Based Rehabilitation

Public Health

Nursing

93

Refers to the number of individual qualifications offered by each Faculty.

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Pre-service

Acute Care

Primary Health Care

Midwifery

(iii) School of Natural Resources and Applied Sciences

Forestry Studies

Tropical Agriculture

Environmental Studies

Paravet Studies

Applied Science

Agriculture

Climate Change

Forestry

Natural Resource Management

Agriculture Business

(iv) School of Education and Humanities

Education

Teaching Early Childhood Education

Teaching Primary

Teaching Secondary

Education Adult Learners

Journalism & Media

Youth Development

(v) School of Business Management

Secretarial Studies

Tourism Studies

Business Studies

220. Distance Flexible Learning. The DFL programme is school-based and focuses on developing professional competence and subject knowledge. It is offered through a variety of media which include print, audio and contact with local mentors. Radio is used for information dissemination to the teachers and their mentors and to offer guidance in professional studies. Learners study their course materials with support from their Head teacher and a Master Teacher— collectively called Mentors. Master teachers have been appointed to assist with professional support to clusters of approximately 15–20 Teachers in Training. Master teachers visit each trainee once per term to support initial self-appraisal, observe teaching, carry out formative assessment, give supportive feedback and assist SINU with final assessments. SINU is currently implementing the Certificate in Teaching Primary as a new DFL in-service programme for uncertified primary teachers. 8.4.3 University of the South Pacific (USP)

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221. Unless otherwise referenced, the majority of information contained in this section of the Study was sourced directly from USP publications.94 The University of the South Pacific promotes itself95 as the “premier institution of higher learning for the Pacific region, uniquely placed in a region of extraordinary physical, social and economic diversity.” USP was established in 1968, is one of only two universities of its type in the world, i.e. it is jointly owned by the governments of 12 countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Samoa. 8.4.4 The University Region 222. The University of the South Pacific region spreads across 33 million square kilometres of ocean and provides services to a diverse multi-cultural population. Country population sizes vary from Tokelau with 1600 people to Fiji with more than 800,000. The total population is about 1.3 million. The USP has campuses in all member countries. The main campus, Laucala, is in Suva Fiji. The Alafua Campus in Samoa is where the School of Agriculture and Food Technology is situated, and the Emalus Campus in Vanuatu is the location for the School of Law. 223. The SI Campus has 2 two Centres, one in Lata, Temotu Province and one in Gizo, Western Province. Each of the Centres has a Centre Coordinator who manages the Centre and the students that study through the Centre. Of the two Centres, Lata Centre is by far the best of the two, with access through the KU Band system. There are plans to renegotiate the facilities for the Gizo Centre and the installation of the KU Band system. It is planned that there will be a Centre in each Province which will be responsible for supporting students studying from the Provinces. This will play a key role in the visibility of the university in the communities. USP Faculties and Schools, Institutes and Centres at the USP are organised into three faculties and led by Deans. These are: (i) The Faculty of Arts, Law and Education; (ii) The Faculty of Business and Economics; and (iii) The Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment. USP offers programs from Certificate level through to Post-graduate studies in the following areas: Faculty of Arts, Law and Education

Education

Teaching – Primary

Teaching – Secondary

Early Childhood Education

Non-formal education

Evaluation and assessment

Food and nutrition

Library and information studies

Multilingual studies

Special and inclusive education

Language, Arts and Media

Linguistics, Literature and Journalism

Law

Social Sciences

Community development

Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies

94

USP Strategic Plan 2013-2018; USP Handbook and Calendar 2014; USP Prospectus 2014. 95

http://www.usp.ac.fj/index.php?id=usp_introduction

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Faculty of Business and Economics

Accounting, banking and finance

Economics, Statistics, Agribusiness and Population Studies

Applied Sciences

HRM and Employment Relations

International Business

Management and Public Administration

Public Sector Management

Politics and International Affairs

Commerce and Land Management

Financial and Business Administration

Accounting, Banking and Finance

Agriculture and Food Technology

Tourism and Hospitality Management

Land Management and Development Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment

Computing Science, Software Engineering, Network Centric Computing

Information systems

Marine Affairs

Mathematics and Statistics

Arts and Environmental Studies

Biology, Physics and Chemistry

Food and Nutritional Science

Electrotechnolgy (multi-disciplines)

Marine Science

Environmental Science and Management

Mechanical Engineering 8.4.5 The Centre for Vocational and Continuing Education (CVCE) 224. The CVCE offers vocational and continuing education programs which have pathways to higher education studies offered (only) through the other university faculties and schools. The programs are usually ‘short programs’ and focus on workforce development and industry training. The CVCE also offers commercial services to industry through customised training. The CVCE has 3 of its programs validated and quality assured under the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) standards through Sydney Institute of TAFE (NSW). Students who complete these programs are awarded a USP Certificate and an equivalent Australian qualification through Sydney Institute of TAFE. The 3 programs are:

Certificate IV in Office Management

Certificate IV in Human Resource Management, and

Certificate IV in Project Management. 225. Apart from these programs, the following are also available:

Professional Diploma in Business Management

Certificate IV in Information Technology Support

Certificate (3) in Community Development

Certificate (3) in Early Childhood Education, and

56

Certificate (4) in Library/Information Studies

Table 20: Number and Level of Qualifications by USP Faculty96

AL&E = Faculty of Arts, Law and Education, B&E = Faculty of Business and Economics, ST&E, Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment, CVCE = Center for Vocational and Community Education.

226. The USP has given the CVCE a mandate to become fully self-funding and not reliant on university financial support. It is questionable if the USP has a long term vision in support of the TVET sector as it appears this centre is somewhat marginalised from the university’s core business. This ‘ideology’ would not be an acceptable proposition for the SI as the MEHRD has very clear intentions97 to ensure TVET is seen as a realistic study option for young people to give them job ready skills and provide pathways to higher level programs. 8.4.6 USP Preliminary and Foundation Program 227. The Honiara Campus of USP offers both preliminary and foundation studies programs which provide a pathway to degree level programs at USP or SINU. The Foundation program level is considered equivalent to Fiji Form 7, SPBEA South Pacific Form 7 and NZ National Certificate of Educational Achievement Level 3, and the Preliminary program is considered equivalent to Fiji Form 6, SPBEA South Pacific Senior Secondary Certificate 7 and NZ National Certificate of Educational Achievement Level 2 (USP 2012). Target groups includes mature entrants who have left school early but who now wish to re-commence studying and students from USP member countries who have not performed well in their Form 6 (or equivalent) examinations (Preliminary Program) or those who have passed a University Senate-approved Form 6 examination (or equivalent), or have completed a USP Preliminary Program (Foundation Program 8.4.7 Distance and Flexible Learning (DFL)

96

USP all Campuses. 97

NEAP Review – MEHRD management feedback to inform proposed changes to TVET/Tertiary objectives 2015.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Number

AL&E

B&E

ST&E

CVCE

57

228. The University also offers programmes through distance and flexible learning in a variety of modes and technologies throughout USP's 14 campuses. Advanced communication technologies through USPNet are used to reach distance and flexible learning students across the Pacific Ocean. The University’s Prospectus98 provides details of all courses offered by distance, flexible and mixed mode delivery. 8.4.8 Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) 229. The Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) has provided TVET programs for SI citizens through a scholarship arrangement where students are supported to study off-shore in Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa and PNG. In 2012 a new country office was established in the SI and there is now a full complement of 4 office staff and 4 Trainers located in the capital. The APTC has entered into a partnership agreement with Don Bosco aimed at building the capacity of the local provider to deliver Australian (CII) level qualifications through mentoring and a range of capacity building initiatives. Joint programs will be delivered during 2013. There is hope the proposed partnership with SINU will eventuate in the near future. The APTC will continue to offer off-shore study scholarships to students seeking programs that cannot be delivered locally. Student numbers for APTC Don Bosco are provided below.

Table 21: APTC Don Bosco Student Numbers by Course

Staff

Course Complete 2014 Complete 2014Cert II in Automotive Servicing Technology 1 24 28 52 6 53Cert II in Construction 1 25 21 46 1 47Cert III in Early Childhood Education and Care 15 1 1 0 16Cert III in Formwork/Falsework 19 19 1 19Cert III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology 1 15 15 2 16Cert IV in Training and Assessment 19 40 1 42 6 61Grand Total 21 16 89 85 175 16 212

Students Female Male

Total Grand Total

230. The APTC and USP have a delivery partnership located in Suva which involves joint use facilities and the development of a kitchen and training restaurant, funded by APTC and student accommodation provided by USP on the same site for APTC students. Currently only APTC students are being trained in the facility. Commencing in 2015 USP will be offering programs out of the facilities, at this point it will become a shared facility. With the commencement of the USP programs there will be the potential for pathway programs to be developed, completion of the USP Certificate II program and then students can move to the Certificate III APTC program. 231. There has been a capability development component to the partnership with a group of USP trainers currently undergoing the Certificate IV in TAE training. USP also support the APTC in the Marshall Islands (MI). This partnership is not delivery based in that USP are acting as the APTC non-campus country representative in MI and also they are administering the Bridging program for potential applicants prior to them undertaking the LLN assessment for entry to APTC. 8.4.9 Institute of Public Administration and Management 232. The Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) is a training arm of the MPS and is mandated to train the workforce of the Solomon Islands government in Public

98

USP Prospectus 2014.

58

Administration and Supervision, Leadership and Management, Information, Communication and Technology skills, Financial Management and the Public Service Induction Program which aims to familiarise public officers with the Public Service culture. 233. IPAM has the responsibility of training around 13,000 public officers including teachers, nurses and police officers, both in Honiara and the nine provinces of the country. They also provide a range of shorts programs, e.g. Code of Conduct, Presentation Skills, Negotiation Skills, Report Writing, and Leadership Skills, Microsoft programs plus a Diploma in Human Resource Management. Significant resources have been recently brought in to build public service administration and management capacity in the SI and RAMSI has embedded a consultant in the IPAM. Through these efforts and others IPAM has arguably gone a long way to realise the potential identified for it in the 2007 World Bank Study. “...IPAM has the potential to develop into a strong, flexible and effective training organisation to support public sector development, especially if it continues to receive Donor support.”99 Currently it is led by its first female director. The institute embodies strong gender equity principles. Many of its programs are run at a sub-national level as it works to build competence in provincial Government administrations. 234. There is strong and continuing demand for public administration and management training both in the SI and broader Pacific region. Neighbouring PNG including the Autonomous Region of Bougainville share the SI need for capacity building in the public sector particularly at middle management level. APTC country consultations have recently affirmed demand for training in public administration and business in finance in a range of nearby Pacific countries. 235. The 2007 World Bank report noted that in this context the capacity of IPAM needs to be expanded and/or the government needs to contract out this training to other training providers.100 The Director, IPAM and 3 Under-Secretaries consulted have indicated a strong interest in entering discussions with other Tertiary providers around possible program development, accreditation and delivery partnerships. 8.5 University of Goroka (UG)

Centre for DFL, Pacific Open Campus, Honiara 236. The UG has its main campus in the Eastern Highlands of PNG however it delivers (as at November 2014) a single course, the Bachelor of Education (In-Service) In School Management through DFL out of its Centre for Distance and Flexible Learning in Honiara CBD. There are 103 students enrolled in the program in 2014 and the course fees are SBD$1,000, approximately half the cost of doing the course face to face in PNG. 237. The focus of this program is on existing or in-service teachers and administrators and the entry point is a Diploma in Teaching. Tutorial support is offered through the campus. UG (PNG Campus) offers an extensive array of programs and qualifications from certificate level through to post-graduate research studies. They also have a strong focus on TVET programs and UG qualifications are recognised by MEHRD. 238. At present there are no SI students enrolled in any other UG programs, however UG has been given access to a parcel of land behind the King George School as the site for a future

99

Ibid, pp. 3–7. 100

Study to Support the Development of a National Skills Training Plan, World Bank, 2007. pp. 9–10.

59

campus development. It is envisaged that both TVET and the Diploma in Teaching will be offered from this site over the next 2–3 years. 239. UG also offers a Form 6 “upgrade” program, similar to the USP Form 7 Foundation program, both of which prepare recent school leavers for entry to university. It should be noted that the previous Minister for Education bequeathed the land behind but on the King George School site to all PNG Tertiary providers operating in the Solomon Islands. 8.5.1 University of Papua New Guinea 240. The University of PNG (UPNG) is located in Port Moresby and delivers Tertiary level studies to 15,000 students annually through 5 Open Campuses and 13 Study Centres. UPNG’s specialist areas are; Health and Medical Sciences, Social, Physical and Natural Sciences, Law, Business and Humanities. The UPNG was established in the SI in 2009 on the site of the then SICHE at Kukum, Honiara and was until recently, a provider for distance and open programs. In TVET the campus offered a bridging program (Certificate in Tertiary and Community Studies) and a Diploma in Accounting. While yet to be confirmed, it is understood that SINU has asked the UPNG Campus to be relocated off the Kukum site. It appears the relocation is dependent on an allocation of land from the Solomon Islands government to UPNG with one option for the site to be behind the King Georges Schools. There are however no further details available at this time from within the University itself or Solomon Islands government Ministries. 241. It should be noted the former Director of the UPNG Open Campus has since left and taken up a position with the UG in PNG. While there are plans to offer a broad range of programs out of the proposed new campus through DFL, there is no evidence of current delivery by the UPNG Open College at SINU. 8.5.2 Pacific Adventist University of Papua New Guinea 242. The Pacific Adventist University (PAU) is located just outside of Port Moresby PNG and operated by the Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Apart from Theology, their specialty areas are Business, Health Science and Education. There was a plan recently (2013) to establish the PAU’s second Pacific Campus in the SI however it now appears from stakeholder consultation, that PAU will establish itself in Fiji, at the former Fulton College site near Lautoka. As such, the PAU is not currently providing programs in-country to SI students. 8.5.3 Other Tertiary (Post-School Level) Providers 243. Other post-secondary, mainly TVET level training in the SI is provided by various Government agencies and there is some enterprise-based training, however, no data is available on participation rates. There are, from time to time, Donor funded projects such as the Youth at Work (SPC) and the Rapid Employment Project (WB) which provide some targeted, but non-accredited training. 244. Non-formal training is also provided by private and church organisations under the responsibility of the MEHRD. Although there are many providers, the range and extent of public sector vocational training is limited.101

101

Technical Assistance for Implementation of Pacific Education Strategy: Skills Development 2006, Carmen Voigt-Graf.

60

245. The National Trade Training Testing Unit (NTTTU) within the MCILI is responsible for overall TVET (trade related training) quality control and industry recognition. The national education priorities and strategies suggest many teachers conducting programs are considered to be under trained with limited knowledge in the skills area being taught. 246. Don Bosco Technical Institute is a church-funded training provider within the RTC group and targets disadvantaged youth as their key clients. The Institute offers secondary and Tertiary level studies albeit in a restricted number of trade areas however this has expanded significantly through the new APTC partnership. 247. Solomon Islands Small Business Enterprise Centre (SISMC) currently conducts programs on a commercial basis including contracted training to NGOs. Their programs are based on International Labor Organisation materials and were developed some years ago with support from NZAID. The leadership of the centre has shown interested in working with a partner organisation such as SINU, APTC or USP to build the status of their training to international levels. 248. Donors provide some funding support direct to providers and/or through the MEHRD and Australian Aid will do this in the future through the “SI Education Support Program”. The Solomon Islands government influences the supply of education and training through the NHRDTP102 and, amongst other things, the Plan provides the link to reforms of workplace training, employment law and regulation, training programs provided across the public sector, apprenticeships, scholarships and the proposed national regulatory arrangements, including the NQF. 8.5.4 Rural Training Centres (RTC) 249. A large volume of training is offered by RTC’s, primarily operated by Church and provincial government agencies with an Association of Rural Training Colleges (SIARTC) providing a coordinating role. Around 2,000 students undertake training in RTCs annually. This number is small relative to the total population of SI, however, without RTC provision, many young people would not have access to any formal training. The programs offered by RTCs are for pre-employment and vocational skills delivery with most interest in the traditional trade areas. Life skills (home economics/domestic science) programs primarily enroll female students. Most RTCs see themselves as providing students with the skills necessary to return home and become productive members of their communities. Many of the programs offered cover SI specific cultural areas such as local building methods and traditional health. 250. There are 44 RTCs are both publicly and privately owned and offer programs that are locally (not nationally) accredited. It is difficult to make direct comparisons with SINU and USP as RTCs cater for more community oriented delivery and there is not the same level of rigour applied to the accreditation and quality assurance of their programs. Given the quantum of training provided they have been included in the performance analysis. The RTCs had a student enrolment of 1,903 in 2012 which in real terms means they had 33.3% of the country’s Tertiary (if that is where they sit) student population. Based on an assumption of programs and places made available to females and an estimated average class size of 7.52, 1,243 or 65% were males and 660 or 35% were females.

102

National Human Resource Development and Training Plan; 2012–2104; MDPAC; March 2011.

61

251. The RTCs offer up to 14 study areas and the number of programs varies between locations from 11 at Afutara to 4 at Ararat. In 2012 there were 253 programs available and the majority open to both males and females. However there is no disaggregated data available on the number of enrolments by course by centre nor is the gender mix available. The detail of enrolments by industry area is provided at Table 22 noting the most popular programs are in carpentry, agriculture, life skills and mechanical. 252. The RTC data is again problematic as the levels of programs do not align with other providers and there are only estimates of enrolment numbers by course area. Accordingly caution is urged when drawing conclusions from the information provided at Table 30.

Table 22: RTC course offering and percentage share of total (2012)

INDUSTRY COURSES % SHARE

Carpentry 66 26.1%

Agriculture & Forestry 47 18.6%

Mechanical 31 12.3%

Business & Administration 19 7.5%

Plumbing 9 3.6%

Electrical 8 3.2%

Life Skills 39 15.4%

English 5 2.0%

Maths 6 2.4%

Tourism 1 0.4%

Religious 22 8.7%

Total 253 100.0% 8.6 A Comparative Analysis of the Program Profile of SINU and USP 253. The following matrix identifies the (tertiary level study) discipline are that are available for SI students to study locally or by DFL modes of delivery. The option to study face-to-face off-shore has only been included for USP as there are a number of complex factors to consider that would bias the results, not the least being the lack of data made available from SINU. The issues are: 254. The Solomon Islands government and Donors make available many scholarship awards annually to SI students which in essence mean there is virtually unlimited access to a discipline area in countries such as Australia and NZ. SI students can study any one of the disciplines that regional universities offer such as USP, FNU, FU, UPNG, University Samoa etc. The options are virtually limitless. The APTC has a ‘capped’ number of places and the majority are scholarships to other countries.

Table 23: Discipline Based Tertiary Provider Comparison

DISCIPLINE USP SINU APTC

Accounting

Adult Learners

Agriculture (Agribusiness)

Agriculture Business

62

DISCIPLINE USP SINU APTC

Applied Science (Agriculture)

Applied Science (Climate Change)

Applied Science (Forestry)

Automotive - Heavy

Automotive – Light Don Bosco

Banking

Biology

Business Studies

Carpentry and Joinery Don Bosco

Chemistry

Civil Engineering and Construction

Community Based Rehabilitation

Community Services & Aged Care

Computing Science

Construction Management

Development Studies

Disability Support CBR

Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education

Earth Science

Economics

Education - Teaching (Primary)

Education - Teaching (Secondary)

Education Management (2014) Enrolment of 103 at UG, Open Learning

Electrical & Electrotechnology

Electrical/Electronics Engineering

Engineering & Fabrication

English Language

Environmental Studies

Finance

Fishery Science 2015

Floor and wall Tiling

Food and Nutrition

Forestry Studies

Foundation Studies

Geography

Geospatial Science

History

Hospitality and Tourism 2015

Hospitality Studies

Human Resource Management

Human Resource Management

Industrial Drafting

Information and Library Studies

Information Systems

63

DISCIPLINE USP SINU APTC

International Business Marketing

Journalism

Journalism & Media

Land Management

Law

Library/Information Studies

Linguistics

Literature and Language

Management & Public Administration

Marine Engineering

Marine Studies (not Engineering)

Mathematics and Statistics

Mechanical Engineering

Natural Resource Management

Nursing (Acute Care)

Nursing (Midwifery)

Nursing (Pre-service)

Nursing (Primary Health Care)

Office Management

Pacific Language & Literature

Pacific Policing

Pacific Studies

Painting and Decorating

Physics

Plumbing & Allied Trades

Politics

Population & Demography

Preliminary Program

Project Management

Psychology

Public Health

Public Sector Management

Science in Agriculture

Secretarial Studies

Social Work

Sociology

Surveying

Tourism Studies

Training and Assessment (TAA IV)

Tropical Agriculture

TVET Teaching

Youth Work & Development

Key: No overlap in provision

Overlap in provision

64

Tertiary providers may offer different programs under the broader discipline program umbrella; e.g. Engineering and Hospitality have a diverse range of sub-disciplines under the generic program heading. For APTC, programs are offered at Fiji, Samoa, PNG and Vanuatu. Where the program is SI based it is identified as being ‘Don Bosco’. It should be noted that an ‘overlap in provision’ is not necessarily competition. Factors such as course content, qualification level, delivery modes, the level of accreditation, scholarship/fees etc. may justify a providers decision to offer the program.

8.7 Competition or Collaboration 255. If you consider that the USP currently makes over 40% of its program available through DFL, there is an argument to suggest that substantial competition with local providers, but particularly SINU, already exists. The same however could be said for any university in the world who offers DFL and which would be accessible to the peoples of the SI. 256. Universities generally safeguard the quality and integrity of their qualifications by arguing that each course is ‘different’ in terms of content and learning outcomes. It has been a world-wide issue and there is limited full credit transfer and/or recognition of a qualification delivered by another tertiary institution103. This is in spite of the fact that for all intents and purposes the name and employment focus is the same. Credit transfer between institutions relies on negotiation on a program by program basis. 257. In respect of the Solomon Islands the issue is less complex. The USP offers some 53 programs of which over 20 (40%) are available on line through their distance education facility. The SINU on the other hand offers 39 programs all of which are available from the Kukum Campus in Honiara. Of the course offered by both institutions, 7 are from the same discipline area so in essence competition already exists. USP to their credit have an agenda to leverage off other major Tertiary institutions to give their own program recognised status which is a clear benefit for both the learner and the industry where they will ultimately seek employment. 258. There is also an argument104 that Tertiary institutions should operate in a ‘free market economy’ and let the end user decide where they will seek the program that best meets their needs in terms of the quality, industry recognition, access and value/benefit for money proposition offered by the ‘competing’ institutions. While market principles apply to the demand side of the equation there is little by way of competitive funding or purchasing of places in the SI Tertiary market to help drive systematic quality improvement. It is anticipated this will change with the creation of the new SITEC. 259. The following areas of ‘overlap’ go to the head of the issue of competition by quality, program title and/or by content and through what process the programs are recognised (accredited). Most universities, as is the case with SINU and USP are self-accrediting and the gap regionally is there are no consistent national and or regional benchmarks used from country to country. 8.8 Findings: SINU and USP Program Specialisation 260. On face value, the education and training profile of each of the 2 main Tertiary institutions (USP and SINU) are quite different and there appears to be no significant overlap or

103

Further international reference on this issue can be read at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bologna_Process. 104

Australian Aid Education Sector Support Program; 2015–2020.

65

competition for students with the possible exception of Education. The areas offered by both are:

Banking and Finance (2 x programs)

Education (3 x programs)

English Language, and

Tourism Studies 261. It should be noted that while the APTC has been included in the comparisons due to the size and potential growth of their program areas, the primary analysis is between SINU and USP. Both SINU and USP offer teacher education programs in ECE, Teaching-Primary and Teaching-Secondary. Apart from public health, the IAP indicates105 there will be an expansion of programs and staff in the Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) and particularly across education. It is proposed that B. Ed Secondary will be offered in the teaching subject areas offered by the majors and delivered at the new campus. 262. While there are many issues to consider such as the quality of learning outcomes and the ‘users choice’ for a convenient DFL modes of delivery, it is problematic if the SI has the demand to warrant 2 universities offering;

Bachelor of Education (ECE)

Bachelor of Education Primary

Bachelor of Education Secondary (BEd) 263. The area where there is also potential overlap is in TVET where the APTC offers programs in the trades as detailed previously. The level of certification however is vastly different as the APTC has its programs recognised under the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and SINU self-accredit their programs. 264. Technical and vocational and trades training forms a major part of the SINU program profile but by comparison it forms a relatively small part of the USP profile. At USP TVET has been placed in a full commercial (self-funded) business operating environment where it is expected that fees and other off-budget revenue will make the CVCE self-sustainable. If it eventuates that TVET forms part of the SI program profile then it is highly problematic that it could operates the same way here. A business case would need to be developed by USP and agreed by the MEHRD, eventually through the SITEC, for such a proposition. 265. The move by USP to have a number of their programs validated and recognised by the ASQA is commendable and puts the quality of these specialist TVET areas well above the level of local delivery, with the exception of the APTC who has all of their qualifications recognised by ASQA. 266. The area of Public Health provision is dealt with in (7.7) however SINU clearly dominates any existing provision in that area locally, mainly through a range of Nursing programs and the CBR. The provider comparison shows many gaps in potential demand for public health programs that with further investigation may be filled by the USP academic profile at King George.

105

Section (3.5.1) Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) (pp. 16–17).

66

267. The Table 24 below is provided mainly as a reference point to show the levels of qualifications by occupational classification106 offered by the various providers. While it is obvious in terms of nomenclature that there is an even spread or qualifications across providers, the real issue is the integrity and quality and how employers view the relevance to their particular industry, including government. That needs to be the focus of the labor market demand that must underpin the revised USP IAP.

Table 24: Tertiary Provider, Qualification and Skill Matrix107

PQF

LevelQualification Level Occupation & Skill Level

Tertiary Provider

Local and

Regional

Tertiary (TVET)

Provider

Mission & RTC's

Ministry, State

Enterprises, Other

10 Doctoral Managers & Professional

SINU

USP

Open College of

UPNG & UG (2015)

9 Masters Managers & Professional

SINU

USP

Open College of

UPNG & UG (2015)

8

Postgrad Diploma

Postgrad Certificate

Honours Degree

Managers & Professional

SINU

USP

Open College of

UPNG & UG (2015)

7

Bachelor Degree Graduate

Diploma Graduate

Certificate

Managers & Professional

SINU

USP

Open College of

UPNG & UG (2015)

6 Advanced DiplomaTechnicians

Associate Professionals

SINU

USP

Open College of

UPNG & UG (2015)

IPAM

5 DiplomaTechnicians

Associate Professionals

SINU

USP

APTC

Open College of

UPNG & UG

(Education

Management)

Helena Goldie

Hospital College

(Western)[**a]

Atoifi College of

Nursing

(Malita) [**b]

IPAM

4/3Certificate Level 4

Certificate Level 3

Skil led Trades

Skil led Clerical

Skil led Agricultural, Forestry

& Fisheries

SINU

USP

APTC

Open College of UG

(2015)

USP Continuing &

Community Education

Centre Don Bosco

Technical Institute

VTC's and RTC's

IPAM

Royal SI Police

Academy

2/1Certificate Level 2

Certificate Level 1

Clerical Support

Service & Sales

Plant & Machine Operators

Assemblers

Vocational subjects

offered at schools

USP Continuing &

Community Education

Centre Don Bosco

Technical Institute

VTC's and RTC's

IPAM

Royal SI Police

Academy

National Trade

Testing (MCILI)

N/A Basic & Foundation

Elementary & Craft

Occupations

Enabling Programs

Don Bosco, VTC's &

RTC's

SI Small Business

Enterprise Centre

NGO's

USP Preliminary &

Foundation Studies

USP Continuing

Education Centre

Ministry and IPAM

Short Courses

8.9 Key Solomon Islands Statistics 268. The following tables provide information and data on key demographic and employment statistics which are directly relevant to this Study and provide a context for the analysis of Tertiary performance in the SI. 269. It is understood from MEHRD data that close to 40% of 25–34 year-olds now have a tertiary education, a proportion 15 percentage points larger than that of 55–64 year-olds; and in many countries, this difference exceeds 20 percentage points.

106

As defined by the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). 107

Adapted from Bateman et al; Research into the Financing of TVET; ACER; [draft] September 2013. [**a] & [**b] both centers have ceased to operate during 2014.

67

270. For the purposes of the Study, the research data and analysis covers the participation of SI peoples in all forms of accredited108 Tertiary education and training and the resultant qualifications undertaken and completed by students who have left the secondary school system. While the NEAP109 separates TVET and tertiary in terms of specific sub-sector objectives, this study deals with both as a collective. 271. The analysis looks at the performance of the two major education and training providers in the SI by student enrolment, as collectively they contribute 94.15% of all annual Tertiary enrolments. The APTC, while clearly an important training provider has been included in data analysis for some categories of performance as appropriate. At the time of preparing the data analysis, Training providers were still in the process of validating year to date student participation data noting that SINU was not able to provide year-to-date for 2013, nor were they able to provide forward estimates of enrolments beyond 2013. The uncertainty of government funding and possible changes to student fees was a factor impacting on future training profile planning. For the purposes of getting a picture of the relative distribution of Tertiary places by institution, it was decided to use 2012 as a benchmark so as not to skew the delivery relativity of each provider. 8.10 Student Participation by Provider 272. In 2012, based on the respondents to the survey, there were a total of 7,943 students enrolled in post-secondary study from certificate to doctoral level programs. Of this number 4,902 (61.71%) were males and 3,040 (38.27%) were females. Graduate data is not readily available across all providers however in 2011, USP conferred 2,664 awards. While there is no information on the number of years over which graduates studied, this would represent around 79.5% completions. In 2012, APTC had 139 completions against 176 enrolments (80%) and Don Bosco averaged around 25% completions over 5 years.110 The SINU and USP together had enrolments ranging from 4,925 in 2008 to 6,377 in 2011 representing a growth of 29.5% over the 4 years.

Table 25: Student Enrolments – All Providers (2012)

TERTIARY PROVIDER ENROL % SHARE MALE FEMALE % MALE % FEMALE

APTC 176 2.22% 81 95 1.65% 3.13%

SINU 2228 28.05% 1257 971 25.64% 31.94%

USP 3347 42.14% 2093 1253 42.70% 41.22%

DON BOSCO 289 3.64% 228 61 4.65% 2.01%

RTC'S 1903 23.96% 1243 660 25.36% 21.71%

TOTALS 7,943 100.00% 4,902 3,040 100.00% 100.00%

61.71% 38.27%

108

Accredited education and training refers to courses that are a structured sequence of vocational education and training which meets national quality standards and which leads to a qualification recognized by the country’s regulatory system.

109 Solomon Islands National Education Action Plan 2013–2015.

110 Direct comparisons of completions cannot be made as there is no data on the number of years studied or the

duration of study to achieve the qualification.

68

-

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

APTC SINU USP DONBOSCO

RTC'S

Male

Female

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

APTC SINU USP DONBOSCO

RTC'S

Male %

Female %

8.10.1 Solomon Islands National University (SINU) 273. Enrolment data by school and gender is provided for the period 2008 to 2012 noting 2013 is unavailable and still subject to validation. SINU contributes 28% of the country’s annual Tertiary enrolments and in 2012: males represented 56% of the total student cohort and females 44%. There was no available data on the age profile of SINU students. No information on modes of study, i.e. full-time, part-time or distance was provided, nor was any information on qualification levels. It can be reasonably assumed that enrolments in the School of industrial development were at certificate level and represented 11.6% of the total student cohort leaving the balance of qualifications at diploma (majority) and degree level. 274. The enrolment pattern for SINU has varied considerably between 2008 and 2012 with a total rise of 3.77% although the rise between 2008 and 2009 was 36% and then a decline of 26% in 2010. Enrolments rose by nearly 40% in 2011 and then declined by 22.7% in 2012. These changes affected participation by women the most. In 2008 women occupied 47% of available places, 40% in 2009, 37% in 2010, 42% in 2011, rising to 43.5% in 2012. The average participation by women from 2008 to 2012 is 42% which is well below OECD standards where the entry rate for women is around 25% higher than for men. The following tables [26 – 29] are provided as an enrolment ‘snapshot’ between SINU and USP to give a comparison of the level of effort by gender and/or occupational category. No further conclusions can be drawn from the data noting that SINU was not able to provide 2013 participation rates.

Table 26: SINU & USP Student Enrolments (2008–2012)

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female TOTALSchool of Education 396 328 633 447 419 311 326 416 555 567 4398School of Marine & Fisheries Studies 128 4 118 14 30 3 204 0 122 4 627School of Natural Resources 156 109 180 132 183 148 211 156 102 95 1472School of Industrial Development 82 4 407 15 301 9 197 5 251 7 1278School of Humanities & Science 48 28 28 12 18 5 28 15 11 5 198School of Finance & Administration 222 273 304 408 333 214 679 534 180 262 3409School of Nursing & Health Studies 105 264 68 153 70 126 114 145 36 31 1112

TOTAL 1137 1010 1738 1181 1354 816 1759 1271 1257 971GRAND TOTAL EACH YEAR

SCHOOL2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

124942147 2919 2170 3030 2228

69

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Ma

le

Fem

ale

Ma

le

Fem

ale

Ma

le

Fem

ale

Ma

le

Fem

ale

Ma

le

Fem

ale

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

School of Education

School of Marine &Fisheries Studies

School of NaturalResources

School of IndustrialDevelopment

School of Humanities &Science

275. Enrolments by study and/or occupational area will be covered as an aggregated analysis for all providers.

Table 27: Student Enrolments by field of study – All Providers (2012)

ENROLMENTA B C D E F G H I Total

APTC 0 0 0 54 0 0 36 86 0 176SINU 1122 126 197 258 16 442 67 0 0 2228USP 98 84 103 23 1624 906 0 75 434 3347DON BOSCO 0 0 0 229 60 0 0 0 0 289RTC'S 0 0 353 856 165 143 0 10 376 1903

TOTALS 1220 210 653 1420 1865 1491 103 171 810 794315.4% 2.6% 8.2% 17.9% 23.5% 18.8% 1.3% 2.2% 10.2% 100.0%

FIELD OF STUDY - OCCUPATIONAL AREA

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Ma

le

Fem

ale

Ma

le

Fem

ale

Ma

le

Fem

ale

Ma

le

Fem

ale

Ma

le

Fem

ale

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

School of Education

School of Marine &Fisheries Studies

School of NaturalResources

School of IndustrialDevelopment

School of Humanities &Science

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Table 28: SINU student enrolments by school and gender percentages (2012) SCHOOL MALE FEMALE TOTAL % TOTAL % MALE % FEMALE

School of Education 555 567 1122 50.4% 44.2% 58.4%

School of Marine & Fisheries Studies 122 4 126 5.7% 9.7% 0.4%

School of Natural Resources 102 95 197 8.8% 8.1% 9.8%

School of Industrial Development 251 7 258 11.6% 20.0% 0.7%

School of Humanities & Science 11 5 16 0.7% 0.9% 0.5%

School of Finance & Administration 180 262 442 19.8% 14.3% 27.0%

School of Nursing & Health Studies 36 31 67 3.0% 2.9% 3.2%

Total 1257 971 2228 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

MALE

FEMALE

8.10.2 University of the South Pacific (USP) 276. Comprehensive enrolment and EFTS data was provided by USP for the period 2012 and 2013. Given that many of the tables showed participation by EFTS (equivalent full-time student) which makes it very difficult to compare with other SI providers who record enrolments by student number. USP 2011 enrolments total 3342 and 1767 EFTS which if compared to 2012 participation represents 58.6% of all Solomon Islands Tertiary enrolments. The ratio of enrolment to EFTS is 1.89. Of this number, 63% are male and 37% female. The age and gender profile for USP is provided at Table 29. Eighty three percent (83%) of students fall into the under 20, 20–29 years age cohort which is reasonably consistent with the OECD participation figures of 80% for 15–19 year-olds.

Table 29: USP Enrolments by age cohort and gender (2011)

M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F

Age

Enrols 224 205 1120 624 405 202 149 104 100 64 66 28 27 24 2091 1251

Totals

40 - 44 > 45 Total

334251941642536071744429

< 20 20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 39

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277. USP has a very flexible pattern of attendance reflected by the enrolment characteristics which comprise, by EFTS, 34.2% studying full-time and 65.8% studying part-time. Face-to-face students accounts for 4% of the total, less than 2% attend a flex-school arrangement, 2% study through the internet and 92% through print-based media. Both full-time and part-time students have access to study tutorials and individual learner support. The USP 2011 EFTS numbers by qualification level are made up as follows:

Preliminary and Foundation programs; 809 (77.56%) or approximately 1,530 enrolments

Degree programs; 207 (19.82%) or approximately 390 enrolments

Post graduate and other levels; 27 (2.58%) or approximately 50 enrolments

Qualification levels comparisons cannot be compared with the OECD as data is only collected on the separation between university and TVET level study areas. Internationally there is no standard for qualification levels attributed to each.

8.10.3 Enrolment by Industry and/or Occupational Area – All Providers 278. The economy and therefore projected employment demand of the SI is structured around agriculture (subsistence crops, forestry, mining and fishing), mining, building and construction, ports, energy, telecommunications and the emerging human services and hospitality and tourism industries. Under normal circumstances, there would be an expectation that the majority of Tertiary places would be made available to align human capital development to the demands of the labor market. This is not the case in the SI. 279. This section of the report details the annual enrolments across all providers who responded to the survey according to ‘fields of study’ and/or as they relate to standard occupational classifications111. Every provider has their own version of “fields of study” so the detail in Tables 30 and 31 was formulated using the SINU school groupings and then adding other categories in an effort to best align course and fields of study with recognisable occupational areas. In that regard the data is not pure in that certain assumptions have been made with regard to the alignment of programs and occupation/industry areas. For example USP provided a breakdown of EFTS for 78 programs that SI students are enrolled in. The ratio of 1.89 (enrolments to EFTS) was used to average out enrolment numbers so the comparison with other providers could be made.

111

ANZSCO -- Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, 2013, Version 1.2.

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

< 20 20 -24

25 -29

30 -34

35 -39

40 -44

> 45

Male

Female

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Table 30: Enrolments by provider by field of study (2012)

ENROLMENTA B C D E F G H I Total

APTC 0 0 0 54 0 0 36 86 0 176SINU 1122 126 197 258 16 442 67 0 0 2228USP 98 84 103 23 1624 906 0 75 434 3347DON BOSCO 0 0 0 229 60 0 0 0 0 289RTC'S 0 0 353 856 165 143 0 10 376 1903

TOTALS 1220 210 653 1420 1865 1491 103 171 810 794315.4% 2.6% 8.2% 17.9% 23.5% 18.8% 1.3% 2.2% 10.2% 100.0%

FIELD OF STUDY - OCCUPATIONAL AREA

Fields of Study Key: A = Education, B = Marine & Fisheries, C = Agriculture, Environment & Natural Resources, D = Engineering & Industrial Development.

280. The data on the provision of qualifications as they align to the needs of the labor market can only be tested against the outcomes of the proposed labor market study. Given the previous statements around the shape of the SI economy, on face value, a number of assumptions can be made with regard to the programs offered by training providers relative to where jobs, now and in the future, might exist. The primary outcome from further labor market studies would be to make a direct alignment between the jobs now available or those emerging due to changing economic and development conditions and the actual courses and qualification levels of study that would be made available to new/existing employees. 281. Education (15.4%) would appear in balance with need as the government intends to tighten up the regulations around teacher qualifications. It could also be argued that there should be a constant supply of teachers for all sectors however MEHRD has an oversupply of teachers across all sub-sectors at the moment. 282. Marine and Fisheries looks low (2.7%) compared to the size of the industry not only in the Solomon Islands, but across the Pacific. Additional places would assist employment mobility for those seeking to find work at home and in other Pacific countries. 283. Agriculture formal education and training for the agriculture, environment and natural resources appear small (8.2%) relative to the quantum of training provided in other areas. While these are usually popular programs in (Pacific) Tertiary studies, it is questionable as to the number jobs available to graduates. Consideration needs to be given to the places offered by

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RTCs targeting the informal wage sector (18.6%) and the impact that global warming will have on environmentally related jobs as well. 284. Trades and engineering by proportion of the total (17.9%) looks to be extremely low compared to jobs that would be expected to exist for trades and semi-skilled workers, especially in building and construction, civil engineering (noting aid funding for infrastructure) and metals (welding, metal fabrication and fitting). Automotive, light, small motors and diesel is also significantly under represented. The majority of places (10.7%) are low level programs provided by RTCs. 285. Humanities and sciences are always popular programs, more in demand by students (23.5%) due to the program content, than the opportunities they provide for job seekers. The USP enrolments constitute just under a third of the total places and it is highly problematic if this correlates in any way to job demand. 286. Finance and management also represents a high proportion (18.8%) of enrolments, especially through SINU and USP. The same questions (above) as to the relationship between the field of study and qualifications obtained and labor market demand need to be asked. 287. Nursing, health and human services represent growing job opportunities across the Pacific yet the total quantum of places (1.3%) across all providers is very low. Clearly there is a need to increase provision in the range of disciplines that make up human services industries and public health. 288. Tourism and hospitality is an area identified by the government as a potential growth industry yet the amount of training, relative to perceived industry needs is virtually non-existent at (2.2%). The APTC does provide internationally recognised programs through Fiji, Vanuatu and Samoa. However the number of places, particularly in tourism will not alone meet industry demand. 289. The RTC provision appears to reflect a very close alignment with the mainly informal wage sector and work that is important to the provinces. The data for enrolments in Foundation programs needs to be further validated due to the inconsistencies of information from providers in terms of actual enrolment vis completions and the numbers provided as EFTS.

Table 31: Enrolments by provider by field of study total (2012) 290. This table provides the total number of enrolments by field for study for all providers.

FIELD OF STUDY ENROLMENTS % SHARE

Education 1220 15.36%

Marine and Fisheries 210 2.64%

Agriculture, Environ & Nat Resources 653 8.22%

Engineering & Industrial Development 1420 17.88%

Humanities & Science 1865 23.48%

Finance, Management & Commerce 1491 18.77%

Nursing, Health & Human Services 103 1.30%

Tourism & Hospitality 171 2.15%

Foundation & Preliminary 810 10.20%

TOTAL 7943 100.00%

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USP’s PROPOSED EXPANSION IN THE SI

9.0 An Action Plan for the Tertiary Sector 9.1 Inclusive Participation of Women 291. Data on women’s employment in the formal sector is incomplete, but the share of women in waged employment in professional and technical jobs fell from 27.3% in 1990 and 31.3% in 2000 to just 25% in 2010. Renewed efforts are required to reverse the apparent decline in formal employment of women and to restart the progress of women in secondary education. Economic and income generation strategies need to be more inclusive and specifically address growth in gender employment. 292. An important gender based aid and development initiatives is ‘Pacific Women’112 launched by the Australian Government at the PIF leaders Meeting in August 2012. Pacific Women is a 10-year, $320 million program, funded through DFAT, Australian Aid, which aims to improve the political, economic and social opportunities of Pacific women. Pacific Women will support countries to meet the policy commitments made in by Pacific leaders113 across the 14 PIF countries. 293. After ten years, it is expected that Pacific Women will have helped to:

Increase the effective representation of women, and women’s interests, through leadership at all levels of decision-making.

Expand women’s economic opportunities to earn an income and accumulate economic assets.

Reduce violence against women and increase access to support services and to justice for survivors of violence.

A crucial element of Pacific Women is delivering support through individual country plans for the 14 Pacific Island Forum countries, including the SI. These country plans provide the detail on

112

Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development; Solomon Islands Country Plan Summary, April 2010. 113

Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declarations.

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

% SHARE

75

what will be funded and how these funding decisions are made. Country plans represent locally relevant responses and align with country-specific gender policies and priorities. 294. The policy on gender equality and women's development for example sets aspirational targets for:

Improved and equitable health and education

Improved economic status of women

Equal participation of women in decision making and leadership.

Elimination of violence against women

Increased capacity for gender mainstreaming through capacity building

Promotion of equal participation of women with disabilities

Human Resources Development is implemented across the whole of the Public Service in the context of gender-sensitive policies and guidelines for employment and recruitment.

295. The NHRDTP prioritises actions to increase access and participation by women in education, training, and employment. Many women are currently involved in traditional activities and the subsistence economy. The Plan prioritises the participation of women in training in skills to increase productivity and enhance rural, subsistence and non-formal livelihoods. A way to achieve this is through the Plan proposed incentives for women to participate in higher levels of formal education and training, particularly in non-traditional occupations. A demand oriented human resource development and training system would include a funding formula that incentivises learning opportunities, and that would aim to increase the numbers of women participating in literacy courses, TVET courses, and enterprise-related courses. 296. Policies and strategies addressing the challenges discussed above need to be taken on board by the public and private sector and this creates an opportunity for USP to support its development by showing pro-active leadership in institutional gender based policy and strategy implementation. The key areas related to the USP development are:

Social security measures supporting vulnerable and marginalised community members.

People with Disabilities strategies to ensure fair access to education aimed at increased opportunities for employment.

Food security, food safety and nutrition.(i.e. Public Health)

Youth strategies to increase access of young women and men to education and health services and opportunities for social, economic and cultural development.

Gender equity and women’s development to ensure equity in access to education, employment and decision making.

9.1.1 Empowerment and Participation 297. The SI has a Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs through which the government can ‘mainstream gender’ and develop an implementation plan where women (and youth) can actively participate in the national economy. This has resulted in the development of a NSEEWG,114 due to be launched in late 2014 however no current information is available on this initiative. The active participation of SI women in the national economy is a priority Solomon Islands government strategic policy direction and they see it being realised by encouraging job and wealth-creation and empowering women to advocate on environmental issues, as these affect business and the economy.

114

National Strategy for the Economic Empowerment of Women and Girl.

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298. Most of SI women participating in business activities are in the informal economy and own very small businesses, especially food and personal services that only end up unprofitable, being used to put food on the table at the end of the day. There are other opportunities available for women in catering, cleaning, gardening, landscaping, fresh fruit and vegetable supply, manufactured food (e.g. dried, packaged fruits/vegetables), coconut oil products such as body oils, lotions, soap; beauty therapy, consultancy services. 299. There is also a DFAT funded small business support group called the ‘Solomon Islands Women in Business Association (SIWIBA)’ with in excess of 60 members. Each member is a woman who owns and operates a small business, many in culture and craft areas. The SIWIBA runs regular training programs in small business management and is potentially a source of students to pathway into further business management programs. Women also participate in small family owned businesses in information technology, small scale construction, real estate, transport services, media, printing, publications and information services, tourism and hospitality, agricultural exports.115 300. Growth and sustainability of SMEs in the country is affected by the many challenges commonly shared by women, including illiteracy, lack of access to credit, lack of access to land, intimidation, and more importantly the lack of knowledge and know-how of doing business. From the Donor side, the latter should be an important area of consideration to assist indigenous Solomon Islanders to become innovative in business. 301. The World Bank116 (SI) report identifies some areas of business that women in Solomon Islands could venture into minimum capital costs provided. These include Mobile businesses (such as services rendered in one’s own home), street selling or internet based businesses, which do not incur rental expenses. 302. More sophisticated business operations are available, with sellers diversifying into the sale of related goods and services on behalf of the telecommunications service providers and potentially employing staff to on-sell credit at a smaller margin. Some of these business concepts, such as dry cleaning and centralized cleaning services are quite new to local people because they are unheard of, especially if the women have never been exposed to the outside world to see the range of businesses they could venture into. A random selection from the SICCI117 membership list showed the types of businesses owned or managed by women include:

Food and Catering services

Travel/Tourism/hospitality

Real Estate

Agricultural Exporting (family business)

Accounting Consultancy services

Printing and publications

115

Hassall & Associates International, 2003. Women and Youth in Solomon Islands Report: A Participatory of studyof issues, needs and priorities, p.19 viewed on 18/12/2012 @ http://www.paddle.usp.ac.fj/collect/paddle/index/assoc/ausaid00.dir/doc.pdf

116 ADB Skilling the Pacific; A study on Solomon Islands (World Bank 2007).

117 Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Employer Survey 2012.

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9.1.2 Barriers to Participation 303. Barriers to women’s participation begin with Education for girls, and there are multiple barriers:

Cultural norms/obligations accept that a girl’s place is in the home so education of boys is prioritized over girls;

Infrastructure-dormitories and facilities in boarding schools are prioritized for boys over girls;

Security of girls – distance walked to get to school in the rural areas is a concern that causes parents to keep girls at home.

304. The barriers of security for women are carried over in doing business and there is a role for the Tertiary providers to show leadership and engage with private sector in promoting economic growth and reducing poverty in the Pacific region. Some areas of focus for them should be:

Access to finance for business start-up is limited.

Bank lending policies are so rigid that they scare away women from even attempting to apply for loans.

The SI Small Business Enterprises Centre (SISBEC) provides small business training in rural areas but impact is unknown as to how the trainings result in business start-up for the participants. There are no recognised or promoted pathways to further study from this or the SIWIBA.

Social and cultural expectations are that women are the primary care givers and therefore her ‘rightful place’ is in the home.

Literacy and access to information is another barrier as women are generally ‘uninformed.’118 They lack knowledge about available opportunities, steps to take in establishing a business, the costs involved in establishing and running a business, and lack of awareness about existing programs where they can access assistance.

Technical skills to maintain sustainability of a business is usually lacking among women entrepreneurs.

Women have no financial back-up from the government.

Women have very little or no skills training from the government.

High rental rates for acquiring office space and accommodation in urban centres like Honiara, Auk and Gizo is another barrier and access to land is difficult.

9.4 Inclusive Participation of People with Disabilities 305. The policy on people with disabilities has at its foundation, action to ensure the equal rights of all people with disability and assist and involve them physically, socially, spiritually and culturally in all aspects of life. Specifically the agenda is to:

Ensure that education and training policies give equal opportunities, improve access to education and provide special education modules in all teacher training courses.

Make support for people with disabilities more effective, strengthen support groups and networks for parents, families, teachers and the wider community and in collaboration with stakeholders strengthen support services for community based rehabilitation (CBR).

118

Hassall et al.

78

Raise national awareness concerning disability issues, including information dissemination through media.

Promote more opportunities for income generation and employment, based on equal rights and empowerment.

Ensure laws and regulations, including building codes, are inclusive of the needs of people with disabilities in terms of access to buildings.

306. While the 2 universities have internal policies regarding disability support, there is little evidence of people with a disability currently studying with USP or SINU. It appears that options for such people to study at the Tertiary level are very limited in spite of the NDS goals. Some people access training through specialised service providers such as San Isidro, Bethesda and the Red Cross. The APTC provides specialist disability support for individuals and conducts programs targeting community disability services. 9.1.3 Support for Youth Engaging in Tertiary Education 307. The SI has a significant youth bulge situation that is seen as dangerous for the country if the incoming Solomon Islands government does not create an environment that is conducive for the useful engagement of young people. 308. Recently, a SI Youth Employment Coalition (SIYEC)119 was formed, comprising membership from the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs and a number of other ministries as well as the Chamber of Commerce, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Pacific Leadership Programme (PLP) and representatives of young people. The Coalition will develop a strategic approach to address youth employment and develop intervention initiatives with support from the Solomon Islands government to address this urgent challenge of youth unemployment and youth enterprise development in SI. 309. SI youth problems are common to other Pacific Island countries in that:

They have a low literacy rate of 30% especially in the provinces.

There is an inadequate, but improving education system with a bottlenecked and eliminatory selection process that pushes out many school students prematurely. This is exacerbated by the fact they do not have the basic skills for employment & self- employment to successfully make a living.

Girls are further disadvantaged in entering secondary school due to female accommodation shortages in secondary schools.

There is increased criminal activities especially in Honiara linked to alcohol and drug related activities resulting in drunk and disorderly behaviour, assault-domestic violence, and theft & property damage.

Sexual & mental health problems, teenage/unwanted pregnancy, prostitution and suicide are on the increase.

Rural to urban migration: Young people constitute the majority of people who migrate to the urban centres for employment purposes.

119

Concept note for SI Youth Employment Coalition, Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs [April 2014]. The role of the private sector in promoting economic growth and reducing poverty in the Indo-Pacific region.

79

There is an unequal distribution of services and facilities to the provinces and a high level of hidden employment and underemployment.

9.2 Limited skills training opportunities to match the labor market requirements. 9.2.1 Tertiary Provider Data 310. The proportion of enrolments and gender mix are provided at Table 25 noting the significant variances across providers with the APTC recording 54% participation by females and Don Bosco with 21% representation. The gender mix for the RTCs is not available. However an estimate was derived based on the number and type of programs equally available to men and women and a proportion of places available to women in non-traditional areas. An average class size of 7.52 was used. 311. In Australia the proportion of females is 52.7% on average across the sector while internationally the average is not known exactly although the data suggests more men than women participate. The OECD data tells us that relative to the working and study age profile, 29% of males and 32% females are Tertiary qualified which is an indication of the initial enrolment ratio. In Australia the ratios are 35% and 41% respectively. 312. In the Solomon Islands, relative to the total population of 597,248 persons, the total enrolments for each of the two main study age cohorts would be for the 15 – 24 years, 8% males and 5.24% females and for the 25 – 54 years cohort, 4.6% males and 2.97% females. 313. While international comparisons mainly deal with the age proportion only within a particular cohort, the participations rates are generally assumed to be in the vicinity of 10–12%. Again while there is no direct comparison available, the participation of females seems very low. Social Inclusion Opportunities for USP 314. Tertiary institutions are seen by the community as leaders120 in areas, particularly around social justice and inclusion, where often government fail to live up to the expectation of marginalised groups or individuals. 315. Given the issues around gender, youth and disability outlined in the previous sections of the Study, it would seem beholden on the USP to include a strong and overt response to breaking down the barriers of participation, equity, equal employment opportunity, access, student support services and inclusiveness. 316. The USP proposal and IAP, unfortunately does not specifically addressed access, participation and equity, nor is it clear in any of the publications reviewed121 how efforts will be made to break down these barriers to Tertiary study for disadvantaged people. The University’s Strategic Plan 2013–2018 does however include an objective to “improve the equity of student service”.122 317. With regard to the proposed expansion of USP in the SI, providing a strategy to at least consider and/or implement actions around some or all of the following areas would be seen as a

120

Education at a Glance; OECD, 2014. 121

USP Handbook and Calendar 2014 and USP Prospectus 2014. 122

[5.1] Develop and implement Inclusion and Equity Plan (p. 24).

80

major benefit to the people of the SI and perhaps an incentive by the Solomon Islands government to support the proposal. 318. Access and security; the location of the Campus site would have some safety and security concerns for women, particularly young women, to access programs. This is even more important for women who work during the day and would want to study at night. 9.2.2 Targeted and transparent strategies to address the MDG and SDG objectives.

Target a number of places in priority employment related programs for women and young people.

Demonstrate an agenda to have more women in management within the Campus.

Design and implement programs targeted specifically at women.

Provide learning support services for people with a disability and ensure their physical access to facilities.

Investigate on-campus peer support networks for women and youth.

Media and publications promoting social inclusion.

Working with other tertiary institutions to create networks for sharing and promoting good practice in social inclusion.

Establish student associations (non-political) with an inclusive mix or participants.

Establish Alumni groups working interactively with the private and public sectors and with other institutions.

Women membership on campus governance groups, staff and students.

Work with the public, private and NGO sectors to promote awareness and activities to address social inclusion.

10.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS – Implications for USP 10.1 Conclusions 319. The economy of the SI is in desperate need of an immediate injection of better skilled people across a vast array of employment areas with qualifications in demand from basic entry level to trade to para-professional to professional level studies. The quantity of training places is important however the quality and relevance of the programs to meet industry demand is far more critical. The agenda should be a planned increase in number and quality and a fundamental shift from supply to demand based planning. 320. While there are many Tertiary providers located or accessible to SI students, the number of available places is disproportionate to the number of people seeking to study on-shore in priority employment related disciplines. Tertiary places should also consider regional and international (South-East Asia) employment mobility and the benefit of remittances to the economy. 321. The USP has an opportunity to maximise its access to Solomon Islands government tertiary funded scholarships by providing programs and services to students studying on-shore. This (scholarships) opportunity can be further enhanced by delivering programs that were once only available in Fiji in flexible and mixed modes of delivery where the students would spend more time ‘at home’ undertaking the first 6–12 months of their program.

81

322. The Australian and New Zealand - Solomon Islands Partnership for Development and Letter of Arrangement123 provides an opportunity for USP to work with Donor partners to help progress the MEHRD Tertiary reforms. Particularly around the provision of ‘on-shore’ Tertiary programs that would over time, reduce the cost of ‘off-shore’ scholarships. 323. USP also has a genuine opportunity to align itself with and potentially benefit from the Australian education sector investment (planned for 2015–2025), much of which will focus on ‘skills for employability’ through labor market demand driven programs and service delivery, access and equity and regional provision. It is anticipated the program will be underpinned by quality and labor market demand in an environment of market tested competition and purchasing of training places. 324. The planning and funding for the overall provision of Tertiary places should, when SITEC is established, be based around the notion of the 3 ‘Cs’; collaboration, cooperation and complementarity between providers. 325. Consultation around the USP IAP proposed Public Health ‘anchor program’ elicited a number of key points, namely:

Generally stakeholders support the notion of focusing on Public Health for the Campus development.

The new National Health Strategic Plan should drive the education and training priorities and response to labor market demand.

USP should engage in a significant consultative process with the health industry to map its Tertiary skills development response to current and future workforce needs.

USP should be able to demonstrate partnerships and linkages to medical institutions and organizations outside of the Pacific to ensure the most up to date methods and technology are embodied in their programs.

Training delivery should include lower level (i.e. not MBA) management/supervision programs that allow existing workers to participate and enhance their career options.

All programs should be open to the broader community as it is believed health reform cannot happen alone through the health industry.

Public Health is seen as an important development but USP is not a recognised provider of Public Health although it is a potential niche market area they could develop.

The option to deliver nursing programs is problematic due to perceived competition with SINU. There could, however, be an opportunity to work collaboratively (SINU and USP) on streaming (existing worker) graduates across programs offered by both institutions, e.g. from Nurse Aides to Registered Nurse to Public Health, specialty areas.

326. The Public Health challenges are many however related education has not received the degree of attention it deserves. USP could provide leadership and work with stakeholders to look at flexible and innovative ways of delivering training, especially for remote areas and in-service staff. It would also be useful for USP to better understand how the public sector assesses the demand for jobs and skills when determining the basis for the allocation of public sector in and pre-service scholarships. 327. The Solomon Islands government has set out the linkages and processes by which national development objectives, policies, and strategies are articulated through the NDS into

123

Donor – Solomon Islands government Bi-Lateral Performance Agreement 2013–2015.

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priority result areas. The USP proposal should demonstrate a ‘fit’ with critical elements of the NDS and if there is an expectation to access Solomon Islands government funding for recurrent or infrastructure then the proposal also needs to link to the MoFT annual budget process. 328. The USP has an opportunity to gain strong private and public sector support by demonstrating its proposed Academic Plan is strategically aligned to and supports the directions of the NHRDTP and in essence, labor market demand. 329. The MEHRD and Donors (to the education sector) will use the NEAP as their primary planning and performance management tool. The USP will be required to identify how their academic and/or development plans support and compliment the MEHRD Tertiary reform programs around improving access and quality. Through the NEAP, Donors and MEHRD have placed SINU capability and capacity development as a high priority so the USP development will have to complement that agenda. 330. The ‘master plan’ and other strategic development imperatives supporting the proposed USP campus development will have to consider a rapidly evolving and changing Tertiary landscape. Ongoing consultation with MEHRD is essential to ensure complementarity of the proposed development with the restructured Tertiary system 331. The USP will be expected to demonstrate value added in terms of how it goes about providing for the needs of the local and regional economy. Meeting (industry recognised) international quality standards is an important step in that process when developing and accrediting programs to meet industry and government demand. 332. The USP Academic Plan should highlight how the ADB loan and any Solomon Islands government investment will deliver higher levels of student and institutional performance measured against, for example, OECD benchmarks but certainly against labor market expectation. 333. The USP offers some 53 programs of which over 20 (40%) are available on line through their distance education facility. The SINU on the other hand offers 39 programs all of which are available from the Kukum Campus in Honiara. Of the programs offered by both institutions, 7 are from the same discipline area; namely: Banking, ECE., Teaching Primary, Teaching Secondary, English Language, Finance and Tourism Studies. So in essence ‘minor’ competition already exists. There is also an argument that Tertiary institutions should operate in a ‘free market economy’ and let the end user decide where they will seek the program that best meets their needs in terms of the quality, industry recognition, access and value/benefit.

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11.0 UPDATE TO SECTOR ASSESSMENT (SUMMARY): TERTIARY EUCATION – APRIL 2016124

11.1 Background

334. Policy, Legislation and Governance. The Solomon Islands Government’s vision for the tertiary and skills sector is that it will provide the leadership to ensure the ongoing development of the country's human resources to make a positive contribution to the country’s economic and social development through improved private sector productivity. This will be achieved by:

Continuously improving the quality and relevance of tertiary level education and training available to Solomon Islander peoples.

More equitable access to education and training for women, young people and people with a disability.

Improving the human and physical capacity and capability of tertiary institutions

Encouraging and investing in innovation and research.

Aligning funding and resources to education and training provision that is in demand by the labor market, and

Strengthening the relationship and developing partnerships between education and training providers and the private sector.

335. This vocational skills and higher education policy section of the current MEHRD White Paper125 has been re-drafted to become the Solomon Islands Tertiary and Skills Policy (the Policy) as an initiative of the S4EG program. The purpose of the Policy is to inform the drafting of the proposed new ‘Solomon Islands Tertiary and Skills Act 2016’. 336. Another significant streamlining measure has been to absorb the functions of the previously proposed National Human Resource Development Training Council (NHRDTC)126 into SISQA (see 1.5) along with some of the planning and training related functions of relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD), the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labor and Immigration (MCILI) and the Ministry of Development Planning and Aid Coordination (MDPAC). 337. Solomon Islands Skills and Quality Authority. The major change from the draft Education Bill prepared in 2014127 is the integration of the formerly proposed Solomon Islands Qualifications Authority and Solomon Islands Tertiary Education Commission into a single corporate body, the Solomon Islands Skills and Quality Authority (SISQA).

124 Language of the Education and Training Sector. Section (3.3) of the original version of the HEA spoke to the

issue of the language of the ‘TVET/Tertiary’ sector, namely Higher Education within a Solomon Islands Context. It recognised that while there were international conventions regarding the language of the sector and in some cases this was protected by law, the language still varied from country to country. Since that time and with the emergence and leaderships being provided by the new Solomon Islands Skills for Economic Growth (S4EG) program, the common terminology as reflected in this report, is around the “tertiary and skills” sector and vocational skills development. The term TVET is no longer used in the discourse of the policy and legislation aspects of national systems development within the Solomon Islands.

125 Solomon Islands Government-Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development: EDUCAITON WHITE

PAPER, May 2015. 126

A World Bank initiative in cooperation with MDPAC however as at April 2016, the NHRDTC had not been formed.

127 The current draft White Paper and Education Act proposed legislation to cover all sub-sectors of the entire

education and training sector within the Solomon Islands.

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338. The current tertiary reforms led by the work of the S4EG program in partnership with MEHRD, will eventuate with the establishment of SISQA. The aim being to provide the necessary leadership to create a demand-driven education and training and scholarship system along the policy guidelines that have already been established. This will help to ensure equitable access and coherence with national education and labor market priorities. The new scholarship management system will also consider the best value for money in the usage of resources and prioritise the allocation of scholarships to USP and SINU as a first option instead of financing mainly overseas studies. It is also foreseen that the new system will introduce ceilings for total expenditure, and prevent over-expenditures on scholarships that has been a feature of past scholarships management. Current scholarship numbers are three-fold compared to stated objectives of the Ministry and Government. By merely bringing this into alignment with the Ministry’s stated target would free up the fiscal space to fund many of the essential key reforms that are required in the sector including for purchasing education and training places. 339. National Qualifications Framework. A National Qualifications Framework (NQF) system (policies and procedures) will be introduced as part of this major structural reform and will be established commensurate with the creation of SISQA The proposed Tertiary and Skills Act 2016 will detail provision for this development. It is seen as the best way of ensuring a more systematic approach to ensuring the improved quality of tertiary and skills development. It will allow the tertiary and skills system to be regulated by rigorous quality standards for the operation of public and private institutions and the accreditation of programs. Support for skills policy development, curriculum development and resourcing, Rural Training Centre, support, tutor training and student completion will be addressed through a more integrated approach. 340. USP Academic Plan. The USP consultation team of Prof Richard Coll, Dr Patricia Rodie and Dr Masasso Paunga undertook extensive meetings with stakeholders during a 2 week period in late April 2016. USP demonstrated a genuine and extensive approach to glean feedback from stakeholders to inform the ongoing campus development planning. Some points to note: 341. A copy of the (draft) USP Academic Plan was made available for review during the visit by the USP executive team who led a series of consultation during 2 weeks in April 2016. The issues are covered in Section (3.2) of this report. In summary, the issues are:

(i) MEHRD remains committed and is advocating cooperation and collaboration between the 2 universities however there seems to be an open attitude to the notion of ‘healthy competition’, however not in areas of limited (thin) markets or where government might fund program development.

(ii) There is strong and public support at the government and private sector levels for the USP campus development.

(iii) Still strong support for public health being USP’s anchor program and the Solomon Island’s campus being a regional centre for these programs.

(iv) SINU has confirmed it will look at public health programs and has had discussions with the Ministry of Health and the National Referral Hospital. SINU may offer public health programs around leadership, administration and management but this is yet to be confirmed in writing.

(v) The Academic Plan consultation process appears genuine and robust and will cover the key stakeholders.

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(vi) Formal recognition of prior learning and credit transfer pathways between USP, SINU, Don Bosco and some VRTC’s should be a high priority. Some VRTCs may soon become vocational colleges offering accredited programs.

11.2 Update on Key Issues 11.2.1 Student Data Analysis 342. The original report provided a comprehensive analysis of student participation by program area across all providers128. Attempts to update this data have been unsuccessful due to the late publication of performance data from providers. Activity levels for 2015 were not made available in spite of attempts to secure this information. SINU is transitioning to a new (whole of University) student management system and data downloads and data transfers will not be complete until June 2016. 343. The Rural Training Centres (RTC's) are in the process of completing their 2015 reports and audits and they will be available around the end of May 2016 however these will be in the form of 48 handwritten reports each of 14 pages and no Ministry level summary. It is noted that S4EG consultants undertaking a range of related activities129 were also unsuccessful in accessing the required student data and analysis information from the providers. While the provision of updated student participation data is not essential to the current planning process nor will it reliably inform decisions around course or program planning, it is anticipated that USP will provide an update of its own data in the final version of the AP. From a SI national planning perspective the addition of new places to be offered by USP, whether in public health or in other disciplines is a matter to be addressed in USP’s Campus development business case/plan130. 11.2.2 The USP Proposal 344. Both SINU and USP agree that the current ADB HEA131 really hasn’t changed and should still be used as the backdrop to the current planning process.

345. SINU has confirmed it will look at public health programs and has had discussions with the Ministry of Health and the National Referral Hospital. Both USP and SINU are aware of the importance of cooperation and complementary program profiles and there does not appear to be any direct competition looming. SINU may offer public health programs around leadership, administration and management but this is yet to be confirmed in writing.

346. USP should be commended for recognising the need to develop the first draft Academic Plan in country based consultations with key stakeholders and serious efforts to to develop a more meaningful (demand driven) Academic Plan to inform the Honiara campus development including infrastructure.

128

A ‘provider’ refers to all education and training providers delivering accredited and non-accredited programs in the Solomon Islands or through distance modalities.

129 Labor Market demand studies and Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Strategy.

130 ADB is expecting a revised business case and master development plan with accompanying cost estimates from

USP due to the original architectural concepts needing to be adjusted to fit within the proposed financing

envelope which was proceeding along the lines of USD$15.4M. 131

BCP Consulting International, January 2015.

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347. The current draft plan (tabled April 2016) has been updated since its first publication in July 2015. The Plan includes a comprehensive list of the program areas to be offered on-site at the Honiara USP campus as well as those areas available through distance education. 348. The AP at this stage does not include a detailed list of the programs that would be provided as part of the public health anchor program however it is expected this will be included in the revised version following the current consultative and review process. 349. Once the AP has been updated to reflect in a publicly accountable way the feedback from key stakeholders, it is assumed this will provide MEHRD and the ADB with as much information as necessary to support the development, assuming ADB supports the loan based on the new Plan. 350. The SI Government appears keen to pursue the development of a medical school within USP in Honiara however as is the case with public health, this is not currently a specialty area of the university. USP’s view is that it will keep the medical school on the agenda however the commencing point will be to establish its capacity and capability to develop, deliver and evaluate a range of public health programs locally. Over time these might lead to programs more aligned to medicine or higher level medical practitioner programs and hopefully with credit pathways between the various qualification levels. 351. The public health program will target participation at a regional level potentially drawing students from across all Pacific countries. Consultation around the AP however is planned only for the Solomon Islands.

352. There is also an emerging issue with SINU now expressing a desire to move into public health programs albeit this has not been defined at a course or program level. The broader issue is the AP should specifically address areas of cooperation and collaboration between all tertiary providers to ensure a complementary (not competitive) program profile for the new campus. Where there is potential for duplication each provider should agree on the niche market area they will serve. The AP should address all areas of potential cooperation and include targeted initiatives that encourage cooperation.

353. USP and SINU both believe they should target scholarship funding from the SIG by offering courses in-country where students currently study overseas. The desire by both institutions to increase their own capacity and capability as a means to attract more targeted (demand driven places) funding is a progressive step and should be encouraged. The draft Tertiary and Skills policy will encourage government to move funding within the scholarship program to include vocational skills (TVET) programs. Consequently, if the universities seek to increase scholarship places locally, they should be thinking about developing clear pathways between TVET and higher education programs, regular industry labor market demand studies to inform course offerings and options for greater public sector partnerships. 11.2.3 National Education Action Plan (2016–2020) 354. The MEHRD is currently working through a process to develop a new National Education Action Plan for the period 2016–2020. The objectives of the NEAP will form the basis of the government’s strategic direction for education and training which will be documented in a longer term “Education Strategic Framework” (ESF) 2016–2030.132

132

The ESF is currently in draft and subject to discussions with the Minister and SIG Caucus.

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355. As articulated in the NEAP, the government has identified and is looking to the private sector, donors and education institutions to help address the following challenges:

The need to find a new institutional and governance system that is capable of delivering quality and relevant technical and university education and developing solid partnerships with the private sector and the labor market

The need to find an affordable model for expanding quality and access of the skills development sector

The need to match the provision of skills and higher education scholarships with market demands and reduce over-expenditure of scholarships

356. The USP campus development and academic plan should acknowledge these challenges specifically referenced to NEAP and importantly make an attempt to describe how it might contribute to the solution. 357. NEAP Overall Goal D: To consolidate the establishment of a comprehensive, integrated system of Tertiary and TVET Education which provides quality education and relevant skills for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

Objective D.1 Access: provide equitable access to quality assured skills development for women and young people and people with a disability Outcome D.1.2 A new system for managing national and international scholarships that provides equitable access, coherence with national education and labor market priorities and substantially increases the effectiveness of the results obtained is developed and implemented

Objective D.3 Governance: A new institutional and governance system is operative and capable of delivering quality and relevant technical and university education and developing solid partnerships with the private sector and the labor market 11.3 The Development of a National System of Tertiary Education and Training 358. Overview. There are many ongoing and new initiatives133 associated with the development of a national system of education and training in the Solomon Islands that build on the MEHRD reforms already in place.134 It should be noted that some of these however a significantly different to what was previously proposed, specifically the dot points below. It would be prudent for USP to acknowledge and show its support and how it might provide the leadership and potential contribution to these new directions.

Proposed new Legislation – a Bill specific to the Tertiary and Skills sector separate to the proposed legislation covering general education. Solomon Islands Tertiary and Skills Act 2016

A new ‘standalone’ Tertiary and Skills Policy

Specific Tertiary and Skills goals within the NEAP

Education Strategic Framework (relevance to Tertiary and Skills)

133

See S4EG national systems development agenda scope. 134

These were extensively documented in the previous Higher Education Assessment (8.2).

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One new authority: Solomon Islands Skills and Quality Authority (SISQA)

Scholarship program moved out of MEHRD and into SISQA

Some VRTC’s becoming colleges moving away from MEHRD’s jurisdiction under the school system.

New Apprenticeship Policy (impact on the SINU and USP vocational and trade program development and accreditation)

359. Tertiary and Skills Policy. An important new initiative for USP to consider in its planning for the new campus is the current development of what will be a governing policy for the entire tertiary and skills sector. The policy will have significant ramifications for all providers particularly in terms of the way funding is applied to the sector including for all domestic and international scholarships. 360. This Tertiary and Skills Policy proposes a new structure, independent of the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, with the aim of promoting better coordinated and higher quality tertiary education and vocational skills designed to meet the future needs of Solomon Islands for a highly skilled and productive workforce.

361. The key characteristics of the Tertiary and Skills Policy will be:

A national system of tertiary education and skills development within a Pacific regional context.

A new approach to the development of the Tertiary and Skills sector.

Targeted support for SINU and USP (Pacific TAFE) and new Campus development.

Flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of the labor market.

Industry led policy, strategy and curriculum.

Further education pathways to jobs and the informal sector.

Realigning (tertiary) funding to job outcomes.

Training and quality assurance benchmarked to international best practice.

Quality assurance as a means of producing better outcomes for students.

Integrated planning and funding practices. 362. Planning and Funding

The development of an annual national training profile planning, including for scholarships.

Clarifying existing confused and inconsistent funding arrangements for RTC’s and universities.

Aligning planning and funding of training to labor market demand. 363. Regulation and Quality

The creation of independent regulatory and quality assurance arrangements for training providers.

Developing consistent industry standards for training programs and standards needed to support quality and regulatory frameworks.

Establishment of coherent arrangement for course accreditation and the mutual recognition of training providers under approved other regulatory authorities.

364. The creation of the Solomon Islands Skills and Quality Authority

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The establishment of a new Authority to regulate and quality assure the development and delivery of tertiary level education and training; the Solomon Islands Skills and Quality Authority (SISQA)

Functions of SISQA, related to the whole Tertiary and Skills sector o Tertiary Strategy and Policy (including scholarships) o Planning, Funding, Monitoring and Evaluation o SIG Scholarships (previously with the NTU, now a National Scholarships Division

removed from MEHRD) o National qualifications and training provider quality and regulation o Provider performance reporting o Stakeholder and industry relationships (including donors)

SISQA’s role and objectives: o Systematic and ongoing development of the country's human resources to meets

the economic and social challenges of the future. o Continuous improvement of the quality and relevance of tertiary level education

and training available to Solomon Islanders, including through scholarships. o More equitable access to education and training for women, people with a

disability and those from remote communities. o Improved quality and performance of registered training providers. o Increased investment in innovation and research. o Funding/purchasing of training provision aligned to labor market demand. o Improved human and physical capacity and capability of tertiary institutions. o More efficient, accountable and demand driven public expenditure on

scholarships. o Greater investment and support from the private sector for tertiary and skills

education and training. 11.4 Labor Market Studies Update 365. There has only been one formal and published labor market study135 undertaken in the Solomon Islands since the original HEA. The S4EG labor market report does not at this stage provide information and data around emerging labor market needs. 366. Its purpose was to establish the process to do so and this includes the labor market survey of industry skills needs which has recently been distributed across the private sector. 367. The Solomon Islands Government (SIG) is yet to determine an effective strategy for identifying emerging human resource needs, and thus is also yet to establish effective processes for predicting where future employment needs are likely to arise. In general, labor and related employment issues are the responsibility of the Labor Division, headed by the Labor Commissioner, in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labor and Immigration (MCILI). The Labor Division has responsibility for labor administration including providing advice on labor policy, administering labor legislation, advising the tripartite partners in employment matters, and certifying tradespeople. 368. The Australian Government supported Solomon Islands Skills for Economic Growth (S4EG) program is leading a new approach to identifying private sector labor skills shortages including launching an online survey136 in partnership with the Solomon Islands Chamber of

135

Solomon Islands Labor Market Study and Analysis, Geoff Lacey, S4EG, March 2016. 136

Survey available at: http://goo.gl/forms/DCeUSNdf0y

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Commerce and Industries (SICCI), the Ministry of Education and Human Resources (MEHRD) and the Ministry of Development, Planning and Aid Coordination (MDPAC). 369. The survey will help to identify the skill areas in which private sector organisations expect they will need to employ skilled workers over the next one to five years. The results of this survey will be available to help inform the program profile planning systems of USP and SINU to ensure that education and training providers in the Solomon Islands can better align their courses to the demands of the labor market. It is planned to conduct this survey on an annual basis and fill the gap referred to in (e) below. Consistent messages137 arising from research into the Solomon Islands Labor Market since 2010 include those identified below should be considered in the next iteration of the USPAP.

(a) SI Economic challenges To ensure that the nation’s development does not stagnate, and already high unemployment numbers increase even more rapidly, the country needs a far stronger skill base, particularly in the trade and para-professional sectors. Such training needs to be realistic in scope, and of high quality, using local (SI) and regional accreditation and certification structures; it also needs to account for the (currently) uncoordinated roles of the different SI tertiary providers.

(b) Employment challenges

Although there are significant gaps in Solomon Islands data on employment and labor force participation, two basic issues are apparent: (i) only a small proportion of the country’s citizens are in formal, paid employment; and (ii) the majority of unemployed people and non-formal employees are young people.

(c) Access by women and traditionally marginalised

Many of the current tertiary course providers do not yet understand the need to ensure that equitable access to post-secondary education should be available to women, persons with disability, and residents of remote communities.

(d) Developing a cohesive and coherent government approach to sector priorities

With the wide range of SIG ministries and agencies involved in determining tertiary course priorities, domestic and off-shore study options, and scholarships availability and foci, confusion about individual and shared organisational responsibilities will continue until an effective central coordination structure is established.

(e) Limited recent, direct labor market analysis undertaken While Close’s, Curtain’s138 and Peddle’s recent reports on links between education and training, and labor market operations are very informative, the only recent (2012) and targeted labor market analysis resulted from a SICCI employer survey on labor shortages. And although useful, the SICCI study is of limited value as only two (2) of the 15 categories ranked by employers relate directly to trade-based industries.139

(f) Labor Oversupply

An uncoordinated approach to identifying priority sectors and sub-sectors for developing courses in the past has resulted in an apparent oversupply in some

137

S4EG Labor Market Study and Report; March 2016. 138

All reports referenced in the original ADB Higher Education Assessment. 139

This non-TVET focus likely relates to the membership structure of SICCI.

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fields. Further, an uninformed perception of the public and community “status” of some sectors has resulted in a continuing lack of focus on key areas of skill enhancement that should and can be achieved through well-planned tertiary and skills development programs.

(g) Domestic Labor shortages

Using the proportion of “foreign” workers in an employment sector as a criterion to determine where there are domestic skill gaps, the most likely labor shortages (for which an improved tertiary and skills system can assist in addressing) are: machine operators and assemblers; drivers and mobile plant operators; retail and other in the wider context of other job market factors.

(h) Greenfield employment opportunities

Like other small island states in the Pacific and elsewhere, economic growth is constrained by the (relatively) small population and limited access to markets for products and services. Natural resource industries, including tourism, are likely to be a key part of Solomon Islands’ economic future, but will need careful management and effective sustainability strategies.

(i) Wage levels

Recent research140 has indicated that Solomon Islander workers with trade certificates are generally paid no more than those workers without certification. It appears that the ability of a post-school qualification to offer higher wages in the Solomon Islands usually only applies to those jobs at the professional and technician skill levels.

(j) Qualification standards

There seems little value in requiring the tertiary and skills system in the Solomon Islands to offer international-level qualifications – unless for those candidates whose destination is likely to be neighbouring high-salary countries. Determining such future pathways, four or five years in the future, is not likely to be either accurate or productive.

(k) Domestic vs International job market

Based on current and previous labor migration research the number of workers who are likely to be able to use their skills regionally or globally is likely to be limited, mainly because of the constraints imposed by potential worker recipient countries.

11.5 Solomon Islands Skills for Economic Growth Program (S4EG) 370. Since the publication of the ADB funded Higher Education Assessment, the Australian Government’s Skills for Economic Growth (S4EG) program has commenced. The S4EG is DFAT’s major skills development program for the Solomon Islands and has strategic links to other DFAT funded skills programs across the Pacific, including in Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu, PNG, Samoa and Tonga and the APTC. The program is based on the assumption that:

“The nation's post-school education and training system produces quality graduates who are in demand in the labor market and who have the skills and knowledge needed to increase national productivity and competitiveness”.

140

S4EG Labor Market Study and Report; March 2016.

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371. The strategic objective of the program is:

“To strengthen the capacity of the nation's post-school education and training system to produce quality graduates who are in demand in the labor market and who have the skills and knowledge needed to increase national productivity and competitiveness.”

372. The Program design is based on the premise that by facilitating access to quality skills training that is better aligned to labor market demand, graduates will have greater opportunity for productive employment in national and international labor markets. The establishment of a quality assured national qualifications structure developed and benchmarked to international quality standards will facilitate mutual recognition of qualifications and establishes pathways for continuing education and training both nationally and internationally, including for the informal sector. 373. The program is structured around three Key Result Areas:

(i) Education institutional development, including with the Solomon Islands National University STMS, specifically targeting quality improvements in trades and technology skills training in priority skill demand areas.

(ii) Provincial Training Delivery (pilots) based in Malaita and Western provinces with a focus on quality improvements in delivery of high priority courses aligned to provincial economic development priorities.

(iii) National Systems Development supporting MEHRD including post school education and training systems design, enabling legislation and national qualifications authority.

374. Program Outcomes. The S4EG program will provide the following outcomes to the government, to industry and to the people of the Solomon Islands.

(i) Graduates with more relevant and higher quality skills and qualifications that will contribute to national and provincial economic development.

(ii) Improved relevance of TVET courses and qualifications. (iii) Quality of TVET course delivery improved to meet industry needs (iv) Equitable access to quality assured skills development for women and young people

and people with a disability (v) National and internationally recognised qualifcations

11.6 The National Health Strategic Plan 2016–2020 375. The Solomon Islands National Health Strategic Plan was launched mid-April 2016 with the anticipation it would provide a clear direction for the strategic workforce development needs of the health and related sectors. The Plan identifies that the SI health system is primarily nurse based and there is a need to continue to build the capacity and capability of the workforce. 376. The Plan goes on to say: “we intend to plan and implement an approach to ensure the right health professionals working in the right places with the right skills, right equipment, right motivation and right supervision.”

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377. The only other direct reference (p32) to workforce development is “due to the long lead time between when a health worker starts training and is ready for practice, the MHMS141 needs to work with the Ministry of Education (sic) to ensure the health workers required for the 2020’s are being trained in sufficient numbers and with the appropriate skills to meet the future challenges.” 378. The Plan contains four Key Result Areas (KRA’s):

KRA 1: Improve Service Coverage KRA 2: Build Strong Partnerships KRA 3: Improve the Quality and Support of Health Services, and KRA 4: Lay the Foundation for the Future

379. Specific references related to education and training in the Plans Outcomes and Objectives are: (p41)

(i) Outcome:

Strengthen health system

(ii) Objectives:

HRH workforce and training plan developed by 2019.

Medical graduates deployed at Area Health Centres

Develop and implement health services management courses for levels 1, 2 and 3 to achieve recognised health service management qualifications

380. The Plan includes one performance indicator related to workforce development under its corporate services grouping, i.e. Health trainees by cadre (new) (p45). The Plan is not costed for the period 2016–2020 however there is a (blank) line for “Training Costs” for each year. The Plan notes funding is subject to the SIG annual budget estimates processes, (p49) 381. The Plan (p10) identifies “what has hindered service improvement over the last five years” and notably, there was no mention of education and training provision. Similarly there was no mention of education and training in regards to “what helped service improvement over the last five years” (pp 10–11). 382. Training is noted as a bottleneck (without explanation) to achieving Universal Health Coverage (Fig 4. p17) and as an element of the health system that needs to work cooperatively with other parts of the system to achieve Universal Health Coverage (Fig 5. P17). 383. At present, most skilled health workers and resources are located in the larger centres. Of the 86 practicing doctors, 73 are at the NRH and the other 13 are at provincial hospitals. 384. An analysis of health worker numbers according to the type of health facility and the proportion of health worker by classification and facility is provided in Following at Figure 1

Figure 1:

141

Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

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Facility NRH PCH AHC RHC CHC

Number 1 11 27 115 190

Average no of staff 621 58.5 8.3 3.5 1.5

Total no of staff 621 643 216 402 135

Health Worker NRH PCH AHC RHC CHC

Doctor & Dentist 80 1.7 0 0 0

Nurses 236 17.7 3.9 1.1 0.1

Nurses Aid 85 11.8 2 1.3 1.1

Other Clinical Staff 96 8.2 1.3 0.8 0.3

Non-Clinical Staff 124 19 1.1 0.3 0

Total no of staff 621 58.4 8.3 3.5 1.5

NRH National Referral Hospital

PCH Provincial and Church Hospitals

AHC Area Health Centres

RHC Rural Health Clinics

CHC Community Health Centres 11.7 Recommendations: 385. The following are recommendations with regard to the ongoing development of USP Solomon Islands campus development from a technical perspective:

(i) That USP consult with the S4EG Team Leader to develop mechanisms with regard to any opportunities for USP and S4EG to collaborate on planning and future (beyond 2017) institutional development initiatives, particularly as they might relate to and support the new USP campus in Honiara.

(ii) That USP undertake an analysis of MEHRD’s current strategic reform and

development initiatives particularly with respect to the ESF 2016–2030 and the NEAP 2016–2020 and reflect where appropriate in the revised USP AP.

(iii) That USP includes in the AP or in other related campus development

documentation, options for their participation and/or where they might provide leadership and support for the developing national tertiary and skills system initiatives and interventions.

(iv) The USP campus development and academic plan should acknowledge the

challenges and objectives of the NEAP 2016–2020 and importantly make an attempt to describe how it might contribute to the solution.

(v) The USP revised AP should be independently validated to ensure it has robustly

analysed and addressed the current political economy of the Solomon Islands with regard to the USP development.

(vi) Similarly the independent evaluation of the USP AP should ensure the strategic

imperative laid down by the MEHRD are reflected and addressed and an accurate account of stakeholder views and opinions.

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(vii) That USP undertake a regional consultation to ensure that the contexts and content of the proposed public health anchor program are aligned to broader regional public health needs.142

(viii) There should be structured and ongoing public consultation between USP and

SINU to agree on industry areas that each university will target noting that in some disciplines this may mean one provider offering a program at undergraduate level while the other provider offers post-graduate study.

(ix) The USP AP should also highlight and not leave to selective interpretation, areas

where USP and SINU may compete for students however as far as possible, competition should be restricted to areas of high demand and self (by the student) funded.

386. The Plan should specifically identify the strategic imperative for USP to focus on demand

driven vocational skills programs and develop formal (including being described in ‘handbooks

and student guides’) articulation and credit transfer arrangements. Marketing and promotion of

USP tertiary and skills programs should also highlight the benefit of studying in vocational skills

programs as a priority to get a job and to access further higher level study in the future.

142

The opportunities for regional and international labor migration associated with the USP AP, particularly in public health, should be explored.