Transcript
DEREK ALEXANDER: The problem now is the Government does not have enough funds to recruit all the teachers. So we still waiting for if the Government could source some funds so that we can recruit some more teachers to fill in the vacancies that we have in schools.
JO O'BRIEN: What has the Government said about this?
DA: The supplementary budget is going sometime next month in Parliament. If that gets through we'll get these teachers on board.
JO: How is that affecting the schools that don't have enough teachers?
DA: It's really affecting the quality of education in those schools. Because of this gap in schools some of the primary schools take on board secondary school leavers, Year 13, Year 12, and these people are not trained teachers. They are assisting in some ways.
JO: So are they actually taking classes these school leavers?
DA: Ah well the principals from these area schools train them, give them some basic training in teaching and then they leave them take some classes.
JO: Are you worried about this situation?
DA: Yes as an educationalist I'm really worried yes. We are not addressing quality in education because if you want quality the kids coming from the early childhood care and education you have to have trained teachers from that level up up until the secondary level then that's where kids progress further to university but if kids get disturbed along the way then it's a problem when they reach secondary.
JO: And most of the gaps are they in primary or secondary school?
DA: Primary, primary, the big gap is primary. I think population growth here in Vanuatu is a little bit high. It's the problem of the Government to address this issue. It's not mine. It's the Government's issue to address.
JO: How much more money do you need?
DA: Six hundred million vatu.
JO: The school leavers are they being paid anything?
DA: Yes the school board, the principal assist them by paying them a little bit of wages for the work they are doing.
JO: You say you're hoping some money will come through from the Government soon? Is that going to happen?
DA: There's a paper going before the Parliament next month. I just cross my fingers that we can get some more teachers on the payroll. I have full trust in the current Minister that he will fulfill this obligation that we have, the Government and the Commission and the Republic of Vanuatu. I think we are going to do it.