These Photo Gallery's contain images form the various programs around Papua New Guinea associated Rays of Light in Papua New Guinea.

Feel free to download these images but if you are using these in the media, please reference them to the Rays of Light Foundation and this website.

 

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After the education reforms in Papua New Guinea the first three years of instruction in the education system became known as elementary school consisting of EP (Elementary Prep), E1 (Elementary Year 1) and E2 (Elementary Year 2).  Elementary Teacher Training (ETT) is offered by Rays of Light to communities which need assistance to train teachers for the education of the youngest of their school aged children.

Distinct from other teacher training courses, ETT trains teachers with a combination of the best of modern educational pedagogy and with the perspective of service to the community which is infused into the ethos of the training.  In this first phase of the expansion of the program, ETT is being offered to a controlled group of teachers in a selected area so that the program can be monitored and learning about how to implement the program can be made. Madang and Milne Bay Provinces are the two areas selected for this initial process.

 ett3In a country commonly regarded as one of the most diverse in cultural and language backgrounds and there is not one dialect that is spoken consistently in every region the question of the language of instruction arises.  School children in the Papua New Guinean school system use the elementary years to speak in Tok Ples (their local dialect) and Tok Pisin (a form of Pidgin spoken in many regions of Papua New Guinea) before they are instructed in English in primary school and beyond.

ett comunityInspired by the thoughts that education is one of the most meritorious acts that a person can dedicate themselves to Rays of Light trained teachers are motivated to put themselves at the service of the community in their work as educators.  Vital to this work is the recognition of the importance of their role when performed with expertise and in this spirit of service which is espoused in the course.

The ETT guides the trainee teachers to recognise the nobility of the human character, and how vital the teacher is in helping the children to grow physically, academically and morally.  In the same way that the gardener trains the plant to grow straight, so does the teacher help the student to acquire that which is good for them in their material and spiritual dimensions.

CommunityAs previously mentioned, although Rays of Light provides the training, ongoing assistance and guidance to schools operated by graduates of the ETT program, the ownership of the school lies with the community.  Village communities are participating in this social and economic development effort through the training of some of its members and by building their own schools.  This includes the basic infrastructure which is constructed on the premises of the village, the training of personnel which is provided by Rays of Light and the ongoing sustaining of the educational program with the resources needed to run the classroom activities.

ett moralEducationBased on the recognition of the virtues inherent in all human beings, the ETT guides the teachers on how to use education as the tool for mining these gems inherent in every child.  From the beginning of the school day till the final lesson our schools are instructed to provide an environment which is conducive to spiritual and moral upliftment.

Children engage in saying prayers, singing songs and listening to stories which promote positive characteristics such as cooperation, truthfulness and cleanliness, which they are encouraged to strive to attain. Inspiration is gathered from the different world religions and the stories and moral lessons with which they have eternally guided humankind with.

As with any responsible and sustainable social and economic development, the effort must begin humbly and grow organically as experience and resources provide the means for expansion.  At present ETT has been run in Madang Province and in Milne Bay Province.  While the course is overseen by a national program officer there are also experienced personnel working to coordinate and support the classes in their region.

classroomThe Rays of Light Foundation provides the curriculum for the schools established by its trained teachers.  The first intake of teachers trained have been instructed in how to utilise a pre-primary school curriculum created for elementary schools in Central and East Africa for elementary prep students.  The Rays of Light Foundation is in the process of developing its own curriculum which will adhere to the national learning outcomes for elementary schools in Papua New Guinea.

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