LEAP: Improving education in the Solomon Islands

The consortium delivering LEAP in partnership with the Solomons Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development consisted of UniServices, the Institute of Education of the University of the South Pacific and an indigenous Solomon Islands movement of educational leaders known as the Fellowship of Faithful Mentors.

The project’s overall purpose was to help schools in the Solomon Islands improve students’ literacy and learning through strengthening the work of Provincial Education Authorities (PEAs) and school leadership. The project worked with 85 primary schools in six provinces and was extended twice.

With more than 90 percent of personnel being Solomon Islanders, the project was firmly grounded in Solomons culture and provided opportunities for locals to engage at various levels from design to management and implementation.

“Solomon Islander teachers, school leaders and Education Authorities see the programme as their own because they see locals participating in it and they are very willing to support it,” said Irene Kmudu Paulsen, PhD, who was the UniServices LEAP programme manager.

LEAP resulted in successful initiatives such as the development of school improvement plans, classroom visits to support the teaching of writing, and literacy workshops supported by the mentors.

By working closely with the PEAs, school leaders and teachers, LEAP worked to improve management at the PEA level and strengthen leadership at the school level to improve learners’ reading and writing skills. LEAP identified problems at each of these levels and created solutions together.

The success of the programme did not go unnoticed. It was featured on the front page of the national newspaper, the Solomon Star.

“The newspaper article is one of many testaments that this programme has captured the hearts and the minds of those who are participating and is effective in raising literacy achievement in a Solomon Island-specific way,” said Jeff Nikoia, the UniServices director of strategic growth who worked with the project.

Emillian Papasa, the head teacher of Lunga Primary School, said in the Solomon Star: “We want to thank the LEAP program because through that program we are more open-minded to what our roles are and now we are able to do our work effectively.”