BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Preliminary talk commenced on the draw down of functions under a pre-declaration agreement with the National Government. One of these is education. The phased draw down has yet to be worked out however; it is likely to be determined by the capacity of the region to perform such an expanded portfolio as education, research, science and technology. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ARB) Constitution is imbedded in peace as the foundation of its development endeavors. However, peace by itself is hollow and incomplete, unless there are fundamental reconstructions to the concept of peace and how these are put into motion to bring about the core drivers of change and development.The Autonomous Region of Bougainville has since the declaration being deluged with request for major shake up and reform to the present national education and training systems. It is called to start on a clean plate. There is desire for programs to embrace all who have reached school age, those already in schools, the age group whose opportunity was abruptly interrupted by the conflict in 1990, and all matured and second chance learners. There is demand to strengthen the structural and management deficiencies,not withstanding the desire for a broad based education to provide for all, employing different approaches via; applied/technical and pure academic through 14 years of education. The new pedagogy is required to deal with diverse expectations and needs dispositions. The demand for structural readjustment is a clear manifestation of the desires to start afresh in peaceful coexistence with other Papua New Guineans and the globe in its own design. Strategies have to be adjusted accordingly for the reconstruction of education and management away from the mainstream approach.