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Vision
The vision for Literacy in Papua New Guinea is that Education should not be perceived as a passport to a paid job. Literacy Education must focus on the entire population to be literate from ignorance so that they acquire cognitive and practical skills with positive attitudes to others for the purpose of becoming self-reliant and living useful lives in their society.
Goal
National Literacy and Awareness Secretariat goals is the same as that stipulated in the National Constitution of Papua New Guinea: that all persons endeavor to achieve universal literacy in Tokpisin, Hiri Motu or English and in tokples or ita eda gado. (1975)
History
The year 1990 was International Literacy Year. In 1989, approval was granted for the establishment of a secretariat to oversee International Literacy Year. That started the present NLAS which serves as the executive arm of the NLAC. “The function of this secretariat is to coordinate all literacy activities throughout the country” (Deutrom, Doyle & Kevau – 1990, p.31). See 35 of NLP for NLAS functions.
Local NLAS staffing since its inception in 1990
| 1990 | 2 staff | Mr. Naihuo Ahai, Late Mr. Cain Ketoma |
| 1991 | 2 staff | Mr. Kini Karo, Mr. Cain Ketoma |
| 1992 | 2 staff | Mr. Godfrey Yerua, Mr. Cain Ketoma |
| 1993 | 3 staff | Mr. Yerua, Mr. Ketoma, Mr. Willie Jonduo |
| 1994-2000 | 4 staff | Mr. Ketoma, Mr. Jonduo, Mrs. Maggie Guria, Mr. NicholasNembo |
| 2001 | 8 staff | Mr. Ketoma, Mr. Jonduo, Mrs. Guria, Mr. Nembo, Mrs. Genua, Mrs. Toua, Mr. Christopher Kepiou, Ms. Lien Erepe |
| 2002 | 8 staff | Same as above |
| 2003 | 6 staff | Mr. Jonduo, Mrs. Guria, Mr. Nembo, Mrs. Toua, Mr. Kepiou, Ms. Lien Erepe |
| 2004-2006 | 7 staff | Mr. Jonduo, Mrs. Guria, Mr. Nembo, Mrs. Toua, Mr. Kepiou, Ms. Erepe & Mr. Timothy Numara |
| 2007-2009 | 5 staff | Mr. Jonduo, Mr. Nembo, Mrs. Guria, Mrs. Toua, Mr. Kepiou, Late Mrs. Mary Hehe |
| 2010 | 4 staff | Mr. Jonduo, Mr. Nembo, Mrs. Guria, Mrs. Toua, Mr. Kepiou |
| 2011 | 5 staff | Mr. Jonduo, Mr. Nembo, Mrs. Guria, Mrs. Toua, Mr. Kepiou, Mr. Wesley Thomas |
Organisational Structure
The staff of NLAS reports directly to the Director NLAS on the current duties and responsibilities who then briefs the Chairman of the NLTF who then briefs the Secretary for Education who then reports to the Minister for Education.
Staff Profile
Director – Oversees the over-all functions of the whole secretariat’s roles and responsibilities in consultation with authorities of the Department of Education and Intra-organisations, other Government Departments, NGOs, Business Houses, Media, Local Communities Nationally and with selected partner organisations internationally.
Project Manager – Oversees the budgetary requirements for NLAS
Research & Database Officer – Oversees the database of NLAS
Awareness Officer – Take charge of NLW and all NLW related activities
Training Officer – In charge of literacy training workshops conducted by NLAS
Admin Assistant – In charge of NLAS administrative tasks.
National Literacy Awareness Council (NLAC)
In 1989 the National Literacy Committee, forerunner of the present NLAC, was formed. The May 1989 meeting minutes shows that the Committee took the points put forth in the 1987 Ukarumpa meeting and developed them into a document which the Secretary for Education, Mr. Peter Baki subsequently endorsed (see attachment 1) on the National Literacy Policy. The Minister for Education Dr. John Waiko decided not to submit the document to Cabinet for approval. The function of the Secretariat is guided by this policy. The last council meeting in 2007 resolved for the review of the National Literacy Policy. Since then, there was no council meetings held due to lack of funding. As urgency, in the absence of NLAC, the Task Force with a mandate was temporarily formed to review the National Literacy Policy.
National Literacy Task Force (NLTF)
The Task Force consisting of very high profile members is led by the Director General for Office of Libraries and Archive, Mr. Jacob Hevelawa.
The review of the NLP by the Task Force committee have identified that the NLP should have a legal framework to support the establishment of a new National Language & Literacy Institute (NLLI).
The NLTF has over the years met several times to deliberate on a number of issues related to its mandate as well as matters regarding the coordination of literacy programmes through the country.
In the last NLTF meeting held at the end of last year, it was agreed that a list containing the membership of NLTF endorsed by the Secretary for Education, Mr. Joseph Pagelio be produced to confirm the actual membership of the NLTF. In view of this, and consistent with proper protocol purposes attached list of NLTF membership by organization is forwarded for consideration and endorsement. Please note that the membership list that has been produced is on the basis of those who responded positively to our invitation to be a member of the NLTF.