Need 500 Major Teachers, West Papua Provincial Government Solve It With 1 Teacher Can Teach At Least 2 Lessons

Illustration of junior high school students is starting to actively attend school in the midst of a pandemic. (Antaranews)

PAPUA - The Provincial Government (Pemprov) of West Papua is running a program to fill the shortage of vocational teachers or major teachers, especially in Vocational Schools throughout West Papua. As a follow-up, 48 teachers were sent to take part in a dual expertise program at the Center for Vocational Technology.

Head of the Vocational School Division of the West Papua Education Office Arius Mofu said the need for vocational teachers in the area is estimated at 500 people, while so far not 50 percent have been met.

"This dual expertise is a solution to meet the shortage of vocational teachers at Vocational Schools. So for example a Mathematics teacher or English teacher has a little expertise in IT or Automotive, we train them at the hall," he said in Manokwari, West Papua, Monday, November 28, quoted from Between.

This program, he continued, had been running since 2021 where in that year 16 teachers had been sent for training, bringing the total to date to 64 teachers.

He explained, the teachers attended training with a period of one to three months. The West Papua Education Office is certain to facilitate the needs of the teachers.

Arius stated that the shortage of vocational teachers in West Papua is similar to what is happening in Papua.

He considered that the existence of Government Employees with Work Agreements (P3K) was also a way of addressing the need for vocational teachers in high schools.

Vocational teachers, he said, are different from general teachers because vocational teachers must have a diploma according to the needs of the majors in the school.

University of Papua academic Agus Sumule said as of October 13 2022 the need for vocational teachers in West Papua, including 14 Fak-Fak, Kaimana (21), Wondama Bay (16), Bintuni Bay (22), Manokwari (83), South Sorong ( 20), and Sorong City (87).