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Tonga needs quality education that is recognized internationally Featured

Tonga needs quality education that is recognized internationally

Letter to the Editor
Tonga needs quality education that is recognized internationally

Nuku’alofa, 7 June 2016

Editor,

Listening to the message from the Throne during the opening of Parliament on June 2nd where His Majesty referred to Education as one of the three key challenges for the government (Health and Economy being the other two) , and taking note of what has transpired in the Ministry of Education over the last sixteen months, I can't help but support Dr. Sitiveni Halapua's view in his letter to the editor of Matangi Tonga on 1 June 2016 that it is time to work towards improving the quality of education rather than destroying it.

Given the challenge for the government from His Majesty during the opening of Parliament, “Oku fiema’u ke hiki hake ‘a e akó ki ha tu’unga fakatu’apule’anga pea ke fakatokanga’i ‘i Tu’apule’anga” the Ministry of Education should now take up the challenge seriously and develop a roadmap for achieving this challenge. Improving quality education to a level that is recognized internationally is not an easy undertaking and requires a holistic reform of the education system and not a quick-fix or ad hoc approach such as changing to raw marks or introducing a new IT programme or doing away with internal assessment, as that would only add to the current confusion.

To improve the quality of education, the focus and commitment should be directed towards what matters most in education, the student, and what it takes to improve their learning (knowledge, skills and attitudes) to a level where they can be competitive regionally and internationally. This can be achieved by; supporting teachers to improve the effectiveness of their teaching, encouraging school principals and head teachers to support teachers by ensuring that the school environment is conducive for teaching and learning, engaging parents and the community to direct their support towards improving student learning, that is what will improve the quality of education.

In addition, making sure that a relevant curriculum that clearly articulates the learning outcomes (knowledge, skills and values) expected of our children is in place, with an assessment system that focuses on assessing the extent to which students have acquired the knowledge, the skills and the values outlined in the learning outcomes.

The ongoing discussions about examinations, more specifically on 'raw marks' versus 'standardized marks' and recently on 'Internal Assessment' (IA) are but distractions from the main issue of the declining quality of education that His Majesty highlighted in his message to the country during the opening of Parliament. While the preoccupation with Raw Marks vs Standardized Marks, as well as Internal Assessment are important and need to be resolved urgently, they have little influence on the overall quality of education as examination serves different purposes.

Examination only provides a measure of what a student can answer correctly, or incorrectly, in the examination at a certain point in time. Analysis and interpretation of the marks students score on the examination are then carried out to provide information on what students can do which helps in providing a pathway for further higher level studies including university studies. While incumbent government can put in place systems, including processes and procedures, that it considers appropriate and within its mandate, it must make sure that it has the evidence to make sure that the new system, as well as the appropriate processes and procedures, would lead to improvement in the system.

Unfortunately this has not been the case with the changes to the examinations system in Tonga as claims about the weaknesses or failures of the old system are not based on any research or valid evidence, rather it is based only on the perceptions of certain people who have no authority in the field of assessment.

The latest change to the internal assessment is again a clear example of the ad hoc changes that are taking place where the claim against the evil of internal assessment, as has been the case with standardized scores, is unfounded and not based on any research or valid evidence. The assertion that internal assessment is a ‘sin’ is one of the biggest mis-information one can put forward in the area of assessment and indicates either a total lack of understanding of the rationale for having internal assessment or a personal perception of those making the claim.

Without internal assessment, one can only assume that the assessment of what a student “can do” will be based only on the external examinations. If this is the intention, then it contradicts the earlier claim in support of “raw marks” as the external examinations cannot assess all of what a student can do. It cannot assess important skills such as research skills, practical skills, computer skills, etc, thus making the examination and the raw marks it generates an invalid measure of what students can do. The inclusion of internal assessment provides the opportunity to assess the knowledge and skills in those areas that the external examination cannot assess, therefore complementing the external examinations and enhancing the validity of the qualification.

The Examinations and Assessment Unit highlighted this in its review of the 2015 cycle especially the need for the assessment to be valid. Unfortunately it has not been given any serious consideration. The assertion and blame directed towards internal assessment has nothing to do with internal assessment as a sound and internationally recognized and adopted form of assessment.

Instead the blame, if evidence is available, should be directed towards those who are responsible for implementing the internal assessment in the way it was meant to be carried out, the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry of Education should take responsibility for any failure to implement the internal assessment correctly and make sure that every participating school and teachers implement the internal assessment as intended instead of pointing the finger at the internal assessment which is a sound assessment approach adopted internationally.

Faka’apa’apa Atu,

Dr. Visesio Pongi

43 comments

  • HausiaS
    HausiaS Tuesday, 14 June 2016 18:35 Comment Link

    Malo Fahina hono toe fakaongo mai 'ae 'ikai fie fanongo 'ae Ministaa ki he ngaahi fale'i 'ae kau mataotao. Pea ne 'osi talaki pe foki moia he paenga ni 'e Mark H mo Mokofisi moe ni'ihi kehe foki. Ka 'oku kei fai pe vilivili a.

    Pea koe lau koia 'a Pongi, "While incumbent government can put in place systems, including processes and procedures, that it considers appropriate and within its mandate, it must make sure that it has the evidence to make sure that the new system, as well as the appropriate processes and procedures, would lead to improvement in the system", koe mo'oni lahi 'aupito.

    Ko fe ha fakamo'oni pe ko ha fekumi fakaako ki he tonu mo taau 'oe me'a ko'eni 'oku fai kiai e vivili? Mahalo pe kuo mei huu mai 'a Loholoho 'o toe 'omai ha'ane fakamaama mai ke tau 'ilo kiai.

    Malo

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  • Fahina
    Fahina Monday, 13 June 2016 19:02 Comment Link

    Meapango ia koe kei vilitaki 'a e ni'ihi ko'eni hange ko Loho2 pea oku ha mei ai e ta'e'ilo pea mo e vavanga ki he ngaue'aki 'o e Standardisation.. koe 1985 ne osi kamata mai mei ai 'a e Standardization he sivi New Zealand School Certificate pea moe UE.. pea koe liliu koia ke takitaha fa'u pe 'ene sivi fakafonua ne tupu mei ai 'a e kei tauhi mai 'oe Standardization o a'u mai ki he ngaahi 'aho ni.. Oku 'ikai fu'u mahu'inga ia pe koe raw marks pe koe standardization marks he oku 'ikai ha fu'u kehekehe ia ai.. koe tamasi'i mataotao oku kei lava pe ia he sivi he Univesiti kapau 'e tokanga ki he ako.. Ko e palopalema o Pohiva koe MInisita koe 'ikai ke toe tui ki ha taha kae fakahu mai pe 'a e fakakaukau 'a hono friend pea mo hono foha ke fakalele'aki e ako pea koe liliu na'e tonu ke ta'u 2 kuo ne fai pe he mahina e 6... Koe palopalema oe ako oku ikai koe maaka ka koe silapa, naunau ako, teu'i e kau faiako, koe 'atakai 'oe fanauako pea moe ha fua.. kaekehe kuo tu'u mai e motu'a ni 'o ala ia he me'a fakamuimui koe assessment.. Ko Pongi moe kau tangata oku nau fakalea mai koe kau mataotao ia na'a nau tokoni'i e fo'i liliu koia ke hoko pea ne fakamole ehe Pule'anga e lau miliona tokoni a Australia mo NZ ke teu'i e liliu koia .. me'apango kuo hoko pe koe muna he kuo loto pe motu'a ni ia ke fai ene fakakaukau pea oku tau fifili ai ki he fa'ahinga tu'unga faka'atamai oe motu'a ni pea mo 'ene faka'uto'uta ki he Potungaue Ako.. he oku osi ange Raw marks oku 'ikai pe ke raw marks mo'oni ia he kuo pau pe ke toe filio'i ke ma'u e maaka oku ne tala koe raw marks pea koe uhinga ia 'ene ohofi e Internal Assessment koe feinga ke Raw marks mooni pe o ngalo ia ai 'oku 'iai e ngaahi skills he'ikai lava ia o hiki pepa ka kuopau hono fai hono ngaue'i lolotonga e ta'u.. Tu'a ofa atu

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  • Mark Hanson
    Mark Hanson Monday, 13 June 2016 11:39 Comment Link

    'Osi talaatu loho2 ke tui hao pipi ke tali'aki ho favai. 'Asinga ai e 'uha mo ho'o toe fakahafu noa'ia holo 'i fale ni.

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  • Siua
    Siua Monday, 13 June 2016 11:28 Comment Link

    Piponu ena ia he paaka homeless loholoho ha ha ha inufonu kiai oua e fiu ee ioooo foki aa ki he paaka he ko e kautama pe ai 'oku mou fe'ilongaki ee, oua naa toe talanoa ha kau ikata'ane pea ke pikinono hake ai ko e mo e fakalangasipiki ha ha haa ioooo

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  • Sione A. Mokofisi
    Sione A. Mokofisi Monday, 13 June 2016 09:29 Comment Link

    LOHOx2...Maumau ho'o feinga kemau tui atu ki ho'o fakamatala he 'oku 'ikai ke 'ilo kohai koe? Pea na'a ke ma'u fakamatala mei fe'ia?
    Talamai ho hingoa kemau 'ilo pe na'a ke ngāue 'ifē pea kuo ke ma'u fakamatala mei a hai.
    "Transparency" mai kemau falala atu. Ka 'ikai, ta ko ho'o fakamatala loi.

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  • HausiaS
    HausiaS Monday, 13 June 2016 06:46 Comment Link

    Malo Loholoho e tali mai pea tuku pe mu'a ke toe fai atu ha tongi. Fekau'aki moe ngaahi sivi 'a Nu'usila pea ke pehee "Na'e 'ikai ke ngaue'aki e Standardisation kiai". Tali malie 'aupito ]eni ka koe pango koe lau pe foki ia 'a koe. 'Iai ha'o fakamo'oni kiai, pe ko ho'o perception pe? Sai 'aupito pe kapau ko ha ta'e'ilo.

    Koe ki'i fakamatala 'eni teu tuku atu ke support 'eku lau 'aku.

    http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/results-2/secondary-school-qualifications-prior-to-2002/

    Vakai ki he heading " Under he Results.", 'oku 'iai e lau ko'eni. "Final results may have been adjusted to enable comparison between subjects and from one year to the next. This comparability was important because results were added together for A and B Bursaries."

    Koe adjusted ko'eni, koe 'uhinga ia ki he ngaue'aki e Standardisation. Pea kapau ko ho'o liliu lea koe misini pamu, so be it. Koe founga sivi ko'ena kuo ke sani mo viki'i na'e misini pamu.

    Fekau'aki moe 'ikai tali e Form 7 pea toe repeat e foundation, koe me'a pe ia 'oku hoko. Taimi 'e ni'ihi koe fakapolitikale pea toe siolalo mahalo. Lava atu he ngaahi mahina koee ke fai 'eku fufulu nifo pea 'ilo ai koe dental assistant ia koe fu'u Dentist mei he 'univesiti 'i Filipaini ka ha'u ia ki heni (California), kuo pau ke toe 'alu ia 'o toe ako fo'ou but he can't afford it so he ends up as a dental assistant.

    Kaekehe, foki mai ki ho'o lau ko'eni: "Kapau na'a tau kei nofo he system ako motu'a 'e kei lava lelei pe 'e Tonga ke pukepuke 'a e tu'unga ma'olunga e ako (quality education outcome that has been recognised for decades)".

    Malo 'aupito e sani moe viki'i ka kuo fuoloa foki 'enau liliu 'anatolu mei he founga koia. Please refer to site above.

    'Ikai ngata ai, mahino 'aupito e ngaue'aki 'ae Internal Assessment kae tala ia koe angahala (lau 'ae PM Pohiva).

    Pea ke kataki kae toe fakaikiiki mai e lave 'a Pongi, "Improving quality education to a level that is recognized internationally is not an easy undertaking and requires a holistic reform of the education system and not a quick-fix or ad hoc approach such as changing to raw marks or introducing a new IT programme or doing away with internal assessment, as that would only add to the current confusion." ke hoko atu ai e talanga.

    Feefee Curriculum, etc..

    Ki'i koma ai. Malo

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  • loholoho
    loholoho Sunday, 12 June 2016 20:18 Comment Link

    Malo HausiaS e fakalea mai. 'Oku mahino mei ho'o lea nae 'ikai keke 'ilo 'a e founga 'oe NZ School Cert, UE mo e Bursary. Nae 'ikai 'aupito ke ngaue'aki e Standardisation kiai. Mahalo pe ne 'ikai keke 'ilo 'a e 'uluaki liliu 'o e Bursary he sivi 'a e Form 7 na'e au 'o tau 'e 2 'a e fifili pe ko fe ha 'Univesiti mo ha Ako Ma'olunga tene tali e qualification koia. Pea ko eni'ihi he kau lava he Form 7 na'a nau toe 'alu 'o hu he polokalama Foundation he ngaahi mala'e 'e niihi e.g. Medicine etc. Vakaii ena pea ke toki talanga mai ai. Ko ho'o pehee koia 'oku iaki felave'i 'eku talanoa mo e article 'oku ke tonounou ai. Please read between the line. 'Oku kaila 'a Dr Pongi 'o fakamalohii e kaveinga na'e To Folofila kiai 'a 'Ene 'Afio. Very General Address. Ko hono fakaikiiki eni kuou lave atu kiai. Kapau na'a tau kei nofo he system ako motu'a 'e kei lava lelei pe 'e Tonga ke pukepuke 'a e tu'unga ma'olunga e ako (quality education outcome that has been recognised for decades). Ko 'ena felavei mo e ta'ema'u ngaue 'oku mahino lelei 'oku ikai, as our educational system does not produce quality human resources product to meet the labour market demand, both local and international labour market. Me'amalie ko e toli fo'i''akau 'oku 'ikai toe lau tohi fakamo'oni ako. 'Ofa atu 'Oua 'e Fiu pea malo e e tutu e maama ke mafana atu ai 'a Liueli, 'Asaeli mo Siua he kuo nau pipiponu mo ngaunu he 'uha, 'ofa atu

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  • Liueli Fonua
    Liueli Fonua Sunday, 12 June 2016 15:20 Comment Link

    Mou tukunoa'i foki a Loholoho he oku faoaki pe kiai e gaahi fakamatala kene toki folahi mai hange hano fa'o ha fo ki he misini fakamomoa. Koe mea oku fepakipaki ai ene lea he koe tufi fakamatala pe siono tufakanga. I have seen various comments oku kakano lelei pea mahino koe fkkaukau totonu pe a e taha koia. Ko loholoho hange ha misini oku lomii ke lea lomii ke kaila pea toe lomii ke fepakipaki eee iooo

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  • Oua e Fiu
    Oua e Fiu Sunday, 12 June 2016 10:51 Comment Link

    FAKATAU MAI ANGE HA FU'U IPU FONU, ma'a LOHOLOHO.......Ko hono tautea'ii koe, koe fksi'isi'i 'Eiki 'oe Editor 'oe Pa'engani.....Vakai koee, kuo tau Lovai mo Tafea, ka ke kei fkpelepela mo tolo holo he fu'u 'aho viku ni.
    Ai mu'a ke ngali koe Talanga 'ae Kau Matematika, he 'oku taengali 'ae 'UHINGA moe tu'unga fkako 'oku fkaliali mai.
    Koe taha ha fkmatala kuo mama mai, koe toko Lahi 'ae Fanau ako Tonga 'oku drop out I honau 1st year he ng Universities 'I NZ,Aust, USA pea 'oku kau atu mo China ai. koe Fanau ako o atu mei Tonga ni, 'ihe ta'u 'e 10 kuo hili....... pea 'oku tau tui 'oku iai pe 'ae Fanau ako pehe he USP I Fiji. Koia 'oku fai ai 'ae Fifili........Koe aho koeee, na'e RAW marks ai,na'e tuputupu langi 'ae ako 'I Tonga he Pasifiki.....Tau ki'i sio pe kihe Silapa 'oku ngaue'aki 'e Atenisi........Koe to atu, he koe lava pe 'enau Sivi kuo book honau Tu'unga hanga tonu kihe ng University 'o Australia.............................

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  • HausiaS
    HausiaS Sunday, 12 June 2016 04:19 Comment Link

    Poupou atu kia Loholoho ke tuku e pesonolo kae tipeiti he kaveinga. Koia ko ho'o pehee koia Loholoho (kia Dr Pongi) koia " Na'a ne kau he takimu'a hono fakangata 'a e NZ School Certificate, UE, mo e Bursary kae fakahu mai e Tonga School Certificate mo e PSSC pea pehee ki he sivi Form 7"

    'Oku mama'o 'aupito ia mei he kaveinga pea 'oku ke pesonolo koe ai pea koe mahu'inga 'oku fepaki ia mo ho'o 'uhinga.

    Kapau leva na'a tau kei nofo pe he malumalu 'oe sivi mei Nu'usila pea tetau muimui ki he'enau founga pea 'oku ngaue'aki e Standardization ai. Ke fakatokanga'i ho'o CONTRADICT yourself here!

    Pea koe taha, koe liliu mai ki he TSC moe PSC koe 'uhinga faka'ekonomika (fakapa'anga) mo fakaako. Koe founga koia 'oku totongi 'aki e pa'anga pea 'ikai toe fie fua ia 'e Nu'usial. Hala'ataa ha kau 'a Pongi kiai. Ka 'oku lahi e 'uhinga lelei fakaako ke fai 'ae TSC moe PSC . 'E lava ai ke tau ako ki he'atau lea fakaTonga he TSC pea koe me'a fakaako ia ka na'e 'ikai lava ia kapau na'a tau kei nofo pe ki Nu'usila.

    Faka'osi Loholoho, 'omai ha 'uhinga ke ke counter 'aki e lau 'a Pongi. So far, you had not done that. Ka 'oku ngahaha 'aupito ho'o lea ke tipeiti he kaveinga!!

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