The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) is currently distributing Home Learning Booklets to provincial Education Authorities as part of its COVID response.
Teachers and community members of Sasamunga in South Choiseul receiving the ECE to Year 9 materials for teachers and students to use
MEHRD produced the Home Learning Booklets in 2020 with assistance from Australia and New Zealand under the Education Sector Support Program (ESSP).
Education Authorities officers are distributing the booklets to the families of early childhood, primary and secondary school students to enable children to continue learning at home while schools throughout the country are closed due to the COVID outbreak.
As part of the Australian Government’s COVID response support to Solomon Islands, Australia has provided sea and air transport for 841 cartons of 42,971 Home Learning Booklets to provincial Education Authorities in Western, Makira, Malaita, Choiseul, and Renbel provinces. COVID-safe measures were in place for the deliveries.
Western Province EA officials with the learning materials.
The home learning materials were distributed in 2021 to schools located in the emergency zones, namely Western, Choiseul, Honiara, Guadalcanal and Malaita Outer Islands.
Manager of Education Authority Support at MEHRD Mr. Ali Kiko said, “This is a good opportunity for all Education Authorities to come up with initiatives and approaches to service their Provinces, including how they will distribute these materials safely to students and their families while schools are closed.”
He thanked the Provincial Governments and Provincial Education Authorities for their support in distribution of the books to schools and communities.
Principal of Boe Secondary School in Choiseul Mr. Naphtali Pitakaji said the books are useful to support his students to continue their home learning during this indefinite school closure.
Choiseul Province EA officials with the learning materials.
“I’m very happy to receive these Home Learning Materials which we are now using for students to learn from their homes,” he said.
MEHRD has also recommenced its learning continuity radio programs each morning from 8.30am on SIBC. The learning programs on radio are for all students from early childhood, primary and secondary levels.
The Oversight Committee has prepared a report for Cabinet setting out recommended preconditions and timelines for schools to open for the 2022 school year.
-MEHRD Press