6.2.8 Trends of Net Enrolment Ratio by Gender and Geographical Location in 1994 and 1998

Source: Indicator 5 & 6

The trend in total net enrolment rates (NER) between 1994 and 1998 for the urban area is over 100%. The trend for male and female is over 100% and there is a slight increase between 1994 and 1998. The total NER and male/female NER between both years increased slightly. It can be seen that the provincial and school authorities are ensuring that children of official school age are attending school. This could also be said that the rural areas where the total gross enrolment and for male and female GER increased between 1994 and 1998.

Source: Indicator 5 & 6

Indicators 5 & 6 show that 1994 student enrolment of primary age children in Malampa Province had the highest number of students enrolment totalling 6872. Shefa Province had the second highest with 6313. The trend changed in 1998 where Shefa Province had the highest enrolment with 7833 and Malampa Province with 6616. The percentage of females tends to be static between 1994 and 1998. The Torba Province had decrease a decrease in percentage from 50.3% to 48.7%. In the rural areas, there is a major increase between 1994 and 998 from 23,971 to 26,886. The female percentage remained the same.

Source: Indicator 5 & 6

Indicators 5 and 6 show that 90-95% of children of ages 6 to 11 years go to public schools. In all the provinces, the trend from 1994 to 1998 shows a decrease in the number of children attending private schools. Torba Province, however, shows and increase in enrolment of children ages 6-11 in the same period. For urban areas, the percentage of children enroled in primary schools remained the same at 10.2% as in rural areas the number decreased from 4.1% to 2.1%.

Trends of Teaching Staff by Geographical Location and by Gender 1994 and 1998

Source: Indicator 9 & 10

The total number of teachers in 1998 is 2556 as compared to 2166 in 1994. The same period saw an increase of 384 extra student enrolment. In the rural areas, the number of teachers rose from 1880 in 1994 to 2150 in 1998 resulting in 1,110 extra teachers. There was a big increase in the number of female teachers from 1994 and 1998 from 971 to 1152. The number of female teachers increased in all the Provinces except the Torba Province. In rural areas the total number of teachers increased by another 270 teachers. Corresponding to student enrolment, Shefa and Malampa Provinces have the highest number of teachers.

Source: Indicator 9 & 10

The total percentage of primary teachers having the required the academic qualification between 1994 and 1998 increased from 54.2% to 58.6%. Except for Malampa Province where the increase was by 1.5%, all the other five Provinces recorded slight decreases. As opposed to the urban area, which saw an increase percentage, the rural area witnessed a decrease from 57.2% to 52.6% for the period 1994 to 1998. Shefa Province experienced a major decrease in percentage of female teachers from 57.9 in 1994 to 34.1 in 1998.

Source: Indicator 9 & 10

In 1993, the number of certified primary school teachers was 43.2%, which increased to 46.5% by 1998. This showed that the Government was still inadequately resourced with qualified teachers. At the national level, the number of certified female teachers improved remarkably from 42.2% to 48.7%. At the national level, all provinces indicate a low level of certified primary school teachers. All the provinces are under 50% staffed with certified primary school teachers. In rural areas male and female number of teachers increased slightly. Shefa Province recorded an increase from 42.1% to 65.9% of female certified primary teachers. Other Provinces, which showed slight increases, were Tafea, Sanma and Torba.

Source: Indicator 11

The Government pupil-teacher ratio is 1:30. The overall pupil-teacher ratio in that of other provinces recorded was low in 1994. However, this improved remarkably in all provinces in 1998 when they reached the national target. The pupil-teacher ratio in 1998 for all the Provinces were lower because many new teachers were hired.

Source: Statistical Indicators, Ministry of Education

Source: Indicator 13 and 14

The survival rate for those entering Grade 1 that reach Grade 5 is 64.6% on average. For the males and females, the survival rate is 62.8% and 66.6% respectively. The survival rate for all the Provinces in 1994 except for Tafea is above 50% with Malampa 129.3%. In 1998, Pemama and Shefa have the highest survival rate of 100.5% and 152.9%. Except for Tafea, all the other provinces recorded over 50% survival rate. The survival rate for the urban area improved remarkably from 62.5% in 1994 to 135.7% in 1998. In the rural areas the survival rate improved from 56.9% in 1994 to 74.0% in 1998. In the rural areas, the survival rate for females improved from 55.2% in 1994 to 82.3% in 1998. In the urban area, female survival rate increased from 66.3% in 1994 to 104.6%.