17 Jul 2017

Palau hosts the 30th Pacific Educational Conference

9:31 pm on 17 July 2017

An educationist says greater collaboration is needed to improve teaching practices across the Pacific.

Over 200 children from Nasavusavu Public School took part in the Just Play festival as part of the emergency programme on Savusavu Island earlier this year.

Photo: UNICEF Pacific/2016/Hing

Andrew Tabelaul was speaking ahead of the 30th Pacific Educational Conference, which takes place this week in Palau.

Over 400 people will attend the bi-ennial event including delegates from the the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa.

Mr Tabelaul, from Palau's Ministry of Education, said the focus of the conference was quality and sustainability in education for student success.

"What can we share as a diverse entity in the Pacific. Something that will be an asset to our teachers and our educational systems, something that we'll be able to use in the classrooms and for our children tomorrow and the day after will be able to be who they are as islanders and then also somebody that can stand the 21st century challenges," said Andrew Tabelaul.

The capital of Palau, Koror.

The capital of Palau, Koror. Photo: Binter via wikicommons

Mr Tabelaul said the National Congress gave the PEC committee $50,000 USD for resources and hosting guests for the conference.

School principals and teachers in Palau helped with costs by holding fundraisers leading up to the event.

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