Tonga needs quality education that is recognized internationally Featured
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
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'Alu 'o holoholo'i e niu loho2 moe palaku 'ene piala mai, pea tui hao pipi moe hafu noa'ia ho favai. To'omai aa e me'afana lango Asaeli ke fakateketeka'aki e tama ko eni ki tu'a moe ongongata'a.
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Pea oku ke tafoki pe loholoho o tohopo mai he uhinga loi oe fakautuutu oe taemaungaue. Peheatu kihe Employment Department i he Ministry of Internal Affairs o laulau u lipooti koia. Talaange pe ka Samu kene oatu ha ha ha Kuo toe mumu mai e mongomonga hoo toe foi ava mai koena ofa o tapuni katau ea lelei foki ... uha mortein hifo ha ha ha ha
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Masi'i kapau ko Siaosi te'eki keu sio he ta'emaa lahi mo'oni 'ene ha'u pe 'o talamai ketau poupou ki he fokotu'u 'ene Tamai. Ketau poupou 'oku tau mamahi he fakamole hono huke sivi etau fanau he ta koani oku lava pe ia ka fakatooki mai ia ko 'enau feinga pa'anga ke huke sivi. Faka'ulia e ta'e'ofa 'ene pehe'i fau!!!!!!!!!!
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Fakaoli 'oku 'ikai mahu'inga pe kohai au, ka mou talanga mai he kaveinga kae tukuange pe kohai au. Kuou 'osi toutou talaatu 'oku 'ikai ha'aku kaunga kia Piveni mo Siaosi. Tukuange ongo tangata ki he tafa'aki ka mou lave mai he kaveinga, he ko e me'a ia 'oku fie lau 'ehe kakai he fale ni, Tukukehe kapau ko e peesi pe eni ia kia kimoutolu 'a e kau nounou fakavesitapolo, malo mo e 'ofa
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Mark Hansen mo Asaeli Nau, 'oku mo vikia ho'omo ako lelei ka 'oku ha mai mei ho'omo talanga ko e ongo TA'E AKO kimoua. Ko e tangata ako 'oku talanga he poini pea tuku he poini. 'Oku 'ikai fakanafala noa'ia pea mo tausino. Sai tuku aa e talanoa homou levolo ma'olunga kau ki'i lafo atu pe he levolo 'o e ma'ulalo. 'Oku ou faka'amu ke mahino kiate kimoutolu kau ai mo Dr Visesio Pongi, ko e talu e ngaue'aki e misini pamu maaka moe tupu fakautuutu 'a e ta'ema'u ngaue pea ne fanau'i 'a e kaiha'a mo e tupu fakautuutu 'a e faihia. Mei he ta'u 2000 ki he 2012 ko e meimei fanau ako 'e toko 1950 'oku tuku ai 'ehe system ako ko eni ki tu'a, pea hoko atu e ni'ihi 'o ako ma'olunga ange, ma'u e ngaue 'a e ni'ihi pea tokolahi taha ko e nofo ta'ema'u ngaue ai pe. Koeha hono 'uhinga? Hanga 'ene misini pamu maaka (standardisation) 'o lohiaki'i kinautolu pea nau omi ki he maketi leipa te'eki ke nau mateuteu. 'Oua toe tuhu fakapoto holo Dr Pongi he 'oku 'ikai ko ha toki holo pe eni 'a e ako he liliu ki he raw marks he ta'u kuo 'osi, pea 'oku kaunga lahi ho'omou liliu 'o ngaue'aki 'a e standardisation ki he tupu tokolahi 'a e ta'u ma'u ngaue he fonua. He kohai ha ngaue'anga tene tali ha taha ke ngaue fakatauhi tohi mo ha maaka 25 he accounting ka e pamu'i 'ehe standardisation ke Grade A? Malo mo e 'ofa
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Malie Asaeli., it only takes a few posts from loholoho to put two and two together to find out his true identity. 'Oku 'iai pe me'a koe totomui hifo loholoho he koe kau laukonga oku nau lau pea nau connect e ngaahi dots. Piveni pe ia mo Siaosi. Fakaoli e!
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Ko 'eku sio hifo pe eni ki he fo'i loholoho kou osi pehee loto pe, ko e tama eni mo e puha lango siapani ku tukuange'i mai, kaikehe Mark mo Mokofisi, oua toe mole homo taimi he ta e lango, tuku ai pe ke si'i mumu noa'ia holo pe i fale ni na'a ulo atu ha ki'i maama ee. Pea ko 'ene lakulaku 'ana ia ko piveni 'ataa pe ee
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Me'a fakahela mo'oni ko loho2 ia he kau'italanoa. Na'a ku 'osi talaatu keke nofoma'u he ve'e huokauvao 'o tokanga'i e kau hokaniu he koe me'a pe ia 'oku ke lava, ka ke holi pe keke kau he talanoa 'ae tamaiki lalahi. Koe 'atunga ena ho'o kau'italanoa kuo 'ikai keke fakatokanga'i e piala mai 'ae niu ho me'afakahokolea. 'Alu 'o nofoma'u he huokauvao na'a fiema'u 'e 'akili mo piveni ke hoka ha'ana fo'i niu ka ke ngaue leva ki ai he vave taha. Tuku e ngaahi talanoa ma'olunga mo fakapoto ia ko eni kia mautolu na'a mau ako e. 'Io loho2, 'oku mau fu'u siolalo 'aupito atu kia koe pea 'oku 'ikai ke mau 'ilo pe koeha 'oku kei koa noa'ia ai ho ngutu he lea he me'a 'oku hala ha'o 'ilo 'e taha ki ai.
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Tangata Sione 'A Mokofisi, 'oku kii fakahela e talanga mo koe he 'oku 'ikai ha'o toe me'a kehe 'au koe 'afungi pe mo e lea kovi. Mahalo ko e 'uhinga ia ne ke foki mai ai mei USA ko e maau hoo ako ki he lea 'afungi mo e lea kovi. 'Oku 'ikai mahu'inga ia pe na'e ako 'a Piveni mo Siaosi 'i fe'ia pea koeha hona mata'itohi. Mahalo ko e nounou 'alu koe fakahoko e ngaue ko ena 'oku ke fai ke mavivi pea tukuange 'a e kau tangata ko ee ke fai 'enau ngaue ke lava lelei. Talaatu ka Dr Pongi ke 'alu ia 'ai 'ene ngaue 'oku ne fai ke lava lelei he taumaiaa 'oku fie foki ki Tonga 'o tokoni he langa fonua 'oku fai he 'oku hikihiki holo pe ia he ngaahi kapa ngako he region. Pea tku e tala e kaiha'a 'ilo 'a e ongo tangata he kuo te'eki ke faka'ilo kinaua ki ha keisi pehee. Kapau ke fie 'ilo lahi kia Piveni pea ke lele atu pe ki he 'ofisi PM 'o 'eke kiai pe na'e ako 'i fe'ia, he'ilo na'a fonu ai ho talausese, 'ofa atu kae fai aa ha'aku ngaue 'oku 'aonga he ko e kau talanga he loki ni ko e kalasi 6 tu'o lahi pe, hala ha me'a lelei ko e lau kovi pe mo e fakpalai holo heni. Maumau e faka'ofo'ofa e ngaahi ongoongo 'oku tukumai 'ehe Nepituno ko hono fakapelepela'i 'ehe kau talanga tatau ai pe he taimi kotoa, malo.
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KĀTAKI LOHO-SQUARE...Pea na'e ako 'a Piveni 'ife'ia? Pea ko e hā hono mata'itohi? Ko e hā e mata'itohi 'o Siaosi? 'Oku mau falala atu 'oku ke 'ilo 'a e me'a kotoa 'o kau ki he ongo taukei IT ko 'ení.
1. 'Oku ou mahalo'i na'e fakahū lōua kinaua 'e Dr. Pongi ki he SPBEA, 'o nau ngāue fakataha ai. Pea tuli mei ai 'a Piveni ko e lahi 'e ne fiepoto ki he kau takí; ko e fai tatau aipē mo 'e ne kaiha'a na'e fai 'i he kautaha Shoreline.
2. Me'a tatau na'a ne fai 'i he Shoreline, ko 'ene kaiha'asi (fetuku e koloa ta'e ma'u ngofua) 'a e "intellectual property" 'a e kautahá 'o 'ave 'o pulusi 'e 'Akilisi Põhiva 'i he Kele'á. Pea ko e totongi fakafokí eni 'e PM 'Akilisi 'a 'enau fakaponé, kuo feilaulau ai 'a e kaha'u 'o 'etau fānaú kenau haveki 'a e Potungāue Akó.
3. Na'e faka-mahalo'i lelei 'e Dr. Pongi 'ena me'a 'oku faí, ko 'ena fetuku e ngaahi 'ilo mo e koloa fakapulipulí (trade secrets) 'a e SPBEA 'o fa'u 'aki 'ena kautaha komipiuta "software". Ka oku 'ikai fie tukuaki'i 'e Dr. Pongi kinaua (kuo 'osi mālōlō foki ia mei he SPBEA), ka 'oku ou tui 'oku ne faka-mahalo'i pē me'a 'oku hokó, mei he 'eku "read between the lines" 'i he 'e ne tohi kia kinaua.
4. Na'e tohi 'a Dr. Pongi kia Piveni 'i he 2015 ('oku ou ma'u 'a e tatau, pea na'e pulusi 'i he Neptune) 'o fakatokanga kiate kinaua 'e 'ikai lava 'ena polokalama "software" 'o fakahoko e me'a 'oku na tu'uaki'í ki he kau Puleako 'o e ngaahi 'apiako mā'olunga 'o Tongá 'i he 2015.
5. Ka e tu'u pē kikihi fakamālohi 'a e PM mo 'ene ongo poné, 'o fakamālohi'i e kau Puleakó kenau tui kia Piveni mo Siaosi. Pea nofo 'enau fānaú 'o ako 'i muli, ka e feilaulau'i 'etau fānaú 'a kitautolu 'aki 'enau faka-mahamahalo (experiment) 'oku faí.
6. Faka-'ikai'i 'e Siaosi 'oku 'ikai 'i ai 'ena kautaha mo Piveni (tohi faka-manamana faka'ilo mai kiate au; pea tata'o mai mo e "press release" 'a e 'Ōfisi 'o e Palēmiá), ka na'e toutou tala 'e Piveni 'i he 'ena faka-'eke'eke TV Tongá mo Viola Ulakai, ko Siaosi ko e 'atamai ia 'o 'ena kautahá, pea 'oku totonu ke 'oange 'a e ngeiá (credit) ki ai he ko ia 'oku ne fa'ufa'u 'ena polokalama "software."
7. 'Oku ou kei talitaliatu ki he faka-manamana faka-'ilo ko iá. Go ahead, George. Make my day. Sue me!