Thirty-one  pre-school teachers from Port Moresby’s Community Learning Centres (CLCs) graduated recently from the Digicel Foundation funded “Isi Learning” teacher training program, increasing the number of teachers, school supervisors and school students through the Port Moresby based educational initiative.

These 31 teachers from 16 CLC schools in settlements across Port Moresby are now equipped with Phonics Sounds–Write, an international teaching tool, bridging the gap for their marginalised children aged between four  and 12 years, creating a path for them into formal schools.

Funded by Digicel Foundation at a total cost of K70,000 and conducted by the Living Light Foursquare Church, the Isi Learning program has empowered and improved the management of 16 Community Learning Centres (CLCs).

The 40-week Isi Learning course included, reading and  writing (literacy), numbers (numeracy), social skills and interaction and, personal health and hygiene.

This is the second set of teachers to have graduated from the Isi Learning Program.Course facilitator, Vincent Gene said: “A teacher is an architect of a child’s life and so teacher training is crucial to the performance of children in their classrooms.”

Mr. Gene said the teachers were assessed through the in-service training, assignments outcomes as well as field supervision in the CLC classrooms on

time-tabling, lesson planning and teaching methods.

On behalf of the graduating teachers, Gaume Tirimo, a pre-school teacher from the Mutinneo CLC commended Digicel Foundation for investing in the teachers and the CLC schools. She said:

“The Isi Learning program has helped us to set our timetables, run our classes and school administration so we can be more effective in our roles as teachers. She also encouraged her fellow students to impart their knowledge with dedication and commitment to the children who have been placed in their care.

Digicel PNG Foundation CEO, Marina van der Vlies in congratulating the graduating teachers said, “Research has shown that effective pre-school raises achievement levels for all children and offers real hope for closing the school readiness gap and our investment in the Isi Learning Program is with this conviction.”

“I am proud to say that two of the students from the Paga Hill CLC pre-school who entered the St Theresa Elementary School at the start of this school year have ended their year at the top of their class; and there is no greater endorsement than that for investment in early childhood development and learning,” said the CEO.

Meanwhile, Esther Basse from the Makana CLC at 9 Mile was the top graduating student, with high scores in her assigments as well as ‘work place assessments’.

To date the Digicel Foundation has funded 131 community based projects covering 20 provinces in PNG and put K8 million back into marginalized PNG communities which has directly impacted more than 100,000 people. The Digicel Foundation plans to continue the funding of community projects in the area of basic education and health aiming to support communities as they become more self-reliant in the future.