The Project
The Principal of Holy Trinity Teachers’ College [HTTC] and Archdiocese of Mt Hagen have requested a Campus Manager to provide management and mentoring of College ancillary and fleet support staff.
Working with HTTC to assist with the development of an effective management system to support the much needed training of primary school teachers and up-skilling of current teachers enables the education of many more children within Papua New Guinea.
HTTC was established in 1963 in recognition by the Archdiocese for a need to train local primary school teachers. Originally the Mercy Sisters Papua New Guinea, staffed the fledgling teachers college up until 2010. The College has amalgamated with Divine Word University providing a two-year Primary Teaching Diploma. There are now over 30 teaching staff and a student population of approximately 600.
Note: The monthly living allowance enables you to live a modest local lifestyle. Based on the cost of living in a particular country, it covers food, your daily commute, communication and other local costs. It is not set to enable you to meet financial commitments at home, such as a mortgage or a personal loan. It will not cover the costs of eating out and other entertainment. Read more about what is covered in our FAQ. All applicants will be required to complete a Working with Children and Police Check.
The Location
HTTC is located on the outskirts of Mt Hagen city, within the highlands of Papua New Guinea. These impressive mountains are accessible by road, and those with determination can seek out the summit of Mt Wilhelm (4509m), the tallest mountain in PNG. From its craggy top, you can see right across the country.
Today, the fiercely proud Highlanders maintain many aspects of the traditional culture. During the region’s celebrated Highland shows, Western clothes are exchanged for flamboyant feathers, shells, wigs and skins. And while the massive investment in oil and natural gas fields will continue to bring change, the far west remains a treasure trove of extraordinary cultures.
The Challenge
- The current PNG population is estimated at over 8.5 million people, 85% of which live in rural communities.
- In Papua New Guinea, primary school attendance is at 63.4 % for boys and 56.5 % for girls
- About a quarter of the children aged 6 to 18 are still out of school, with fewer girls going to school. Primary school transition rate into lower secondary school is only 56% (Girls: 50%)
- Limited classroom resources and a lack of trained teachers mean education quality remains low
- Teacher effectiveness is the most important school-based predictor of student learning
- Funding for the up-skilling of teachers has been limited
About You
The successful candidate must demonstrate:
- Good interpersonal skills with an ability to inspire and motivate
- Cross cultural competency and humility
- Forward and Strategic Planning
- Good organisational skills and an ability to delegate and mentor staff
- Ability to live simply and on a local stipend
How You Will Help
First you must be willing to learn from the local community.
Over the first six months you are asked not to change anything or suggest a change to operations. During that six months you will take the time to learn language and cultural mores from a local counterpart willing to mentor you. You will also start a register of the strengths of the current personnel and the assets in the community/country that might be used to achieve the goals of the assignment.
So questions to enable your learning from your hosts, not suggestions in ignorance of how things can improve. You need to commit to clarifying why things are done the way they are rather than presuming from you own cultural lens to outline what is missing. Palms training will prepare you for this approach.
In the second six months you will be ready and better know which of your skills and what of your knowledge applies to:
- sharing your management skills and training local ancillary staff
- contributing to the institutional strengthening of Holy Trinity Teachers’ College.
- developing an effective management system to support the training of primary school teachers and up-skilling of current teachers, enabling the education of many more children within Papua New Guinea.