Education Dept to Buy PM Son’s Multi-million-$ Software Featured
Totofa ‘o Nuku‘alofá
The Nuku‘alofa Journal…Volume 2. Number 4…March 23, 2015
Written by Sione Ake-mei-hakau Mokofisi
I’ve viewed, and reviewed in disbelief PM Pōhiva’s recent TV claims, in which his son Siaosi Pōhiva and his consultancy partner, Paula “Piveni” Piukala, had conveniently discovered flaws in the Education Department’s examination computer programs. They proposed, therefore, to replace the existing computer program with their own computer products.
And the new multi-million-dollar software is now being cleared through Cabinet, which is to be purchased from the PM’s son and his partner. In my experience with computer programs of this magnitude in Corporate America: (a) an extensive independent study must be conducted to test such a product; (b) it is a multi-million-dollar purchase.
The unsubstantiated claims made by the PM and his son’s company, were discredited by former Ed Dept IT director, Dr. Vesisio Pongi. Dr. Pongi, installed the current computer system when he served as Director of the South Pacific Board of Assessment (SPBA). Upon the request of the Director of Education, he visited the Kingdom recently, and was interviewed by radio/TV personality Viola Ulakai.
Dr. Pongi dismissed the PM’s claims as baseless, and it is not a new revelation. He confirms that the current assessment system is the best computer program still being used throughout the education systems in Pacific Islands. There have been no major flaws with the program since 1989.
Lack of Independent Studies
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s son and Mr. Piukala had offered no independent study to prove their claims of a major flaw in the Ed Dept. Rather, in my professional judgment, they are relying on their slick salesmanship skills to sell their product through their family connections with the PM.
Mr. Piukala has made headlines in the local media recently calling Tonga’s Education a “failure.” However, Mr. Piukala has not provided an independent study to backup his claims. My research experience in Information Technology, and in global business transactions, a comprehensive scientific study is required to verify the validity of a particular product.
Mr. Piukala provided self-produced statistics to “Ko e Kele‘a” and “Taimi ‘o Tonga” in their most recent issues with self-evident explanations. Their translation of such technical issues had no relevancy whatsoever to the dependability of the PM son’s new software, nor do they accurately prove there are flaws in the existing assessment software.
Lack of Proven Credentials
Mr. Piukala further claims there were exam results, which scored over 100 points. He claims this is one of the flaws in the system, and there are no examinations in the world that scores over 100 points. However, in the American system, both the American College Test (ACT) and the Scholastic Assessment/Aptitude Tests (SAT) college entrance exams, they are scored up to 800 points.
Similarly, Dr. Pongi confirms that the SPBA system uses the raw data of each student’s exam to assess his/her standings in the aggregate ratings compared to fellow students in the standardization system: Example, out of an 800 possible score, a 500-point raw-mark is assessed to be placed above 47% “percentile” of the class.
It seems to me that the Pōhiva-Piukala consultancy is misusing the standardization technical language to confuse everyone. Mr. Pōhiva is an employee at the SPBA, but Mr. Piukala is not. Mr. Piukala confirmed in Viola Ulakai’s TV program, that Siaosi Pōhiva should be credited for designing their products.
Mr. Piukala provides no educational credentials for himself and Mr. Pōhiva. Mr. Piukala was once employed at the Shoreline Company, and he is on record for removing company files for publication in “Ko e Kele‘a” newspaper. The owner of “Ko e Kele‘a” was Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva.
(Sione A. Mokofisi is a published journalist in the U.S. and Tongan media. He wrote for daily papers and served as editor on weekly newspapers, print and online magazines. He also worked professionally in corporate marketing and sales, human-resource management, and sales of financial products and services. He holds a MBA, and is Director of English, Journalism & Languages at Tonga International Academy.)
11 comments
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Kole atu mu'a kia Sone Mokofisi ke ne fakamahino mai mu'a pe kuo ha koaa hono faka'ilo ia 'e Siaosi Pohiva. Kuo 'osi fai nai e hopo ko eni ?
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Kuo 'ikai toe ha taha Minista hono fakaanga'i 'e he PM ko'eni he taimi ni 'oku kai pa'anga pea fakapone pea 'alu pe monu ki hono famili. Tapalasia e fale 'o e Tu'i 'oku nau kai e kakava e kakai pea 'oku 'alu pe monu ki honau famili. Ka koeni kuo ne fai 'eia 'o kovi ange!
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Fakamalo atu ki Fisi 'i hono toki fakamahino mai 'oku 'ikai tali e fo'i 'aliaki koeni kuo fai 'e he Palemia ki he liliu 'oku fai ki he founga assessment 'a Tonga...'oku foki ai e manatu ki he fehu'i 'a Viola Ulakai he TV Tonga ki he Palemia fekau'aki mo issue koeni pea ne lohiaki'i ai e fonua kuo tali 'e he EQAP ( Fisi ) e liliu koeni ta koe koto loi 'ata ke lava e fo'i fakamole lau miliona 'ia Piveni mo hono foha ko Siaosi...he kuo tukumai moe fiema'u 'a Fisi he'ikai ke nau tali 'a Piveni mo 'ene me'a ngaue kuo tali he Palemia 'o ngaue'aki e pa'anga tukuhau 'a e kakai 'ova he miliona ne paasi he budget 'a e Pule'anga ..koe fehu'i leva pe koe ha leva e me'a 'e hoko atu ki ai 'a e Palemia ,Siaosi mo Piveni ?..tau lele kovi aipe he kuo 'osi fakapa'anga e loi ia ?..ha kuo tukuange ai he letio Tonga he ongoongo he 'aho 21/09/2015 'a e mahino 'e lele raw mark 'a e sivi 'a Tonga he ta'uni kae hili ko ia ne ma'u mai e tali 'a Fisi he 'aho tatau pe 'oku 'ikai tali e fokotu'utu'u 'a e Palemia ?...'ikai ko Piveni mo Siaosi pe na'a na fai e 'analaiso e ako 'i Tonga 'o lipooti ki he Palemia 'o tala 'oku holo e ako pea hanga he Palemia 'o tala he media 'oku holo e ako ?..ko e lipooti ko ia 'oku 'ikai ke ne fakakau ai e feitu'u 'oku hiki ki ai e tokolahi e fika ko ia e fanau 'oku puli mei he ako'anga high school 'a ia 'oku nau mei fakafonu he ngaahi ako tekinikale.. 'e toe fakafoki nai e pa'anga ne fai 'aki e fo'i fakatau koeni pe koe liliu aipe 'etau assessment he kuo mole noa e pa'anga tukuhau 'a e kakai he kuo 'ikai tali e fo'i 'aliaki ne fai ?....'oku malie fakapoto'i ia e kaiha'a pa'anga he fonua ni , kuo taimi ke kumi mai ha Minisita Ako fe'unga mo 'ilo ki he ngaahi me'a fakaako ke ne tataki e potungaue , he kuo komo 'e Piveni ia e 'uto e tama Palemia...mahalo koe 'uhinga ia te'eki ma'u ha CEO ki he Potungaue na 'alu atu ia 'ilo e me'a totonu ke fai kae tuku 'enau me'a 'oku fokotu'utu'u..
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'Oku fakaoli e fo'i 'aliaki koeni 'oku teke 'e he Palemia ke fai e liliu koeni kae toki kole ki mamani ke nau tali e founga fo'ou koeni 'i hono ngaue'aki e raw mark 'e Tonga ni..pea koe liliu fakafokifa koeni kuo vaeua e ta'u ia pea kuo panaki mai moe sivi ..faka'ofa e ka koe kaha'u hotau fonua he ngaahi fokotu'utu'u koeni 'a e Palemia..mahalo na'a faifai pea tali mai 'e Somalia 'e tau kau ako ke 'alu ange 'o hoko atu ai
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'Oku lolotonga fakahoko e ngaahi fakataha workshop 'a e kau fakafofonga mei he ngaahi ako tatau pe siasi mo e pule'anga ke feinga'i e liliu ki he ngaahi founga koeni kuo loto ki ai e Palemia 'o Tonga 'oku takimu'a ai hono foha mo Piveni Piukala..'ikai ko e 'uhinga 'o e ngaahi liliu koeni ke 'uhinga malie e fakatau lau miliona koeni e software 'a Piveni Piukala ?...'e fefe e liliu koeni he 'e kau ki ai e silapa mo e naunau na'e teuteu ki hono ako'i ?...ko e meimei kotoa e ngaahi naunau ki he ngaue koeni kuo 'osi lele mai koeni koe fund 'e he ngaahi pule'anga muli he kei Minisita 'a 'Ana Taufe'ulungaki ka koeni 'e iku mole kotoa ia he ngaahi fokotu'utu'u 'a e Palemia koeni mo hono foha
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Kou pehe kapau te tau toe foki ki he raw mark, oku hange ia oku tau toe holomui aki ha tau e 20 ki mui, tau lele he foi software oku ngaueaki aki e Dr Pongi mo mamani he ta koia oku ngaueaki he SPBA, koe mea oku mahino oku akituá mai a e ongotama moe helepelu moe huo kauvao, mahalo koena tolo moa eeee!!!!!!!!!! tuku a e tauhele veka he loto kolo pe ko ha li finaki posee eee,!!!!!!!! he kuo maama a Tonga.
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'Oku lolotonga tautaufa'ao 'e he ngaahi fonua 'o e Pasifiki mo e ngaahi International Organisaion 'a Visesio Pongi 'i he ngaahi me'a kau ki he sivi. Ka ko e ha kuo fu'u pipiki pehe ai e Minista ako hono kaungame'a fakapolitikale ko Piveni ? Mahalo kuo mahino, 'ofa pe kuo mahino, ki he Minisita mo e Palemia "Good Governance " Fair distribution mo e Rule of Law" 'a e fo'i hiva 'oku ne fa'a lau ma'uloto 'a e me'a 'e hoko ki he kaha'u 'o 'etau form 7. 'E 'ikai tali 'etau fanau F/7 'i ha 'Univesiti 'i mamani. 'Oku ha he lipooti 'o e fakataha 'a e Talekita 'o e Poate Sivi 'a e Pasififki mo e kau puleaoko 'o e kau talekita ako 'a Tonga na'e fai 'i Tonga. Ko e me'a ia 'e ngali 'e hoko kapau 'e kei viltaki ai pe 'a 'Akilisi ke tau muimui he polokalama 'a Piveni mo hono foha. 'Oku 'ikai tali 'e ha 'Univesiti 'i mamani ha raw marks he ko e founga ia 'oku ngaue'aki he sivi 'a e ngaahi lautohi Pule'anga ko e tanaki fakataha pe ngaahi lesoni pea ma'u e ola. Ko e me'a ia 'oku fiema'u 'e he ongo mataotao 'a e Minista Ako 'a Tonga. Kapau ko ia ko e ha te tau toe fakamole pa'anga ai he 'ai software ? 'omi pe kau leka kalasi 6 ia ke nau tanaki fakataha'i pe ngaahi maaka pea 'osi. Ka 'ikai pea 'omi e kau leka kalasi 4 'oku nau fa'a ma'u e fea'uhi solopani ke nau mentolo'i pe ola e sivi 'a Tonga he 'oku tala 'e Piveni 'oku 'ikai ha toe me'a fakapoto ia ai. Mahalo ko e me'a fakavale pe eh?
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Kapau e 'alu e kau toutai o fai e toutai kae nofo e kau falesiu o fai honau fatongia koe hufia e kau toutai, pea kou ilo e ola lelei e toutai e kau toutai, ka koe pango koe ngaahi aho oku alu e kau toutai ia kae toe hopo atu moe kau nofo falesiu ia o fie toutai peai ikai leva ke ola lelei e toutai.
Koia takitaha nofo pe hono siakale o lotua mo hufia e ngaue oku fai he kau Taki e Pule'anga. -
'Ikai ke mahino mai pe ko e ha 'a e "polokalama" fo'ou ko ia 'oku fakatau mai mei he ongo tama Tonga ko eni!. Ngali kehe ko e Pule 'a Visesio Pongi 'i Fisi kae humai 'a e me'a ni!. Te'eki ke fai hano 'analaiso 'a e ola 'a e kau lava mei he Uni he taimi ni mo e kau lava he taimi kimu'a!, ko e to ia me'a kehe ia. Ta'emahino pe ko e polokalama standardizing pe ko e data input na'e palopalema!!! ...... ko e ha leva 'a e "polokalama" fo'ou 'oku pehe 'e fakatau mai !!!??? ........ si'i Tonga, si'i Tonga ..... ko Langi pe hotau fakatonu2!!! .
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'Oku lahi foki hono faka'ikai'i e ongoongo ko'eni ka koe anga pe foki 'eni 'a e vakai moe opinion 'a e tokotaha ko'eni pea 'oku tau'ataina kiai pea 'oku ne toe 'analaiso foki 'a e ngaahi 'initaviu na'e fakahoko mo muimui'i 'a e kaveiga ni 'a ia 'oku fai 'ene homework. Tau ki'i taitaimi hifo tuku e 'ita ka tau sio lelei pe mu'a na'a tau sio ai ki ha toe me'a ange.......