Mark Kola

The University of Goroka (UOG) is the third largest of the six universities in Papua New Guinea (PNG), and is by far the largest teacher education institution. The University was formed in 1997 from two faculties of the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), Goroka Teacher’s College (GTC) and the Faculty of Education. Integration and expansion in Goroka has allowed their programs to be rationalized and upgraded through continuous reviews. UOG’s antecedents date back to 1961, when Goroka Teachers College commenced Primary Teacher Training under the Department of Education. In 1968, the College converted to Secondary Teacher Training, and it became part of UPNG in 1975. The College mainly concentrated on pre-service undergraduate diploma programs for secondary teachers, although it also trained teachers in Agriculture, Health, Secretarial Studies, and Technical Education. Over the years, intake standards and the length of its main courses increased. In the meantime, the Faculty of Education had started in 1970 at UPNG to offer bachelor degrees in Education, later offering these as Pre-service and In-service programs, as well as establishing diploma and post-graduate programs. The programs were targeted at a mix of primary and secondary teachers, primary teacher educators, and educational administrators. In 1992, as a result of the National Education Reform and PNG’s Higher Education Plan, the UPNG Council decided to unify teacher education programs in Goroka. In 1995, the Goroka Campus of UPNG enrolled its first Bachelor of Education (BEd) intake. Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), BEd Honours and Master of Education (MEd) degree students were admitted in subsequent years. The Government of Papua New Guinea declared the University of Goroka to be a fully-fledged University in 1997 by an Act of Parliament (UOG Act, 1997).