Educational bodies in the Pacific Islands are aiming to work together to get the best education results for Pasifika students.

A new program called PacREF, the first ‘Pacific Regional Education Framework’ has been established through a collaboration between a variety of supporting agencies or Implementing Agencies (IAs), striving to improve the quality of education in the Pacific.

A Fono (meeting) was held virtually on 27 January 2023, for the first time by Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF). The Fono discussed implementation of phase 1 of the PacREF program and the strengthening of the regional collaboration and integration amongst stakeholders.

Mr Filipe Jitoko, coordinator for PacREF’s Facilitating Unit (PFU), said that coordination of all stake holders would ensure efficient use of resources. “This is important if we are to achieve our Pacific leaders' vision for the PacREF and ensure that the program delivers the best education outcome for all Pacific students.”

These supporting agencies include more than five different organizations, including UNESCO, UNICEF, Pacific TAFE, the University of the South Pacific, SPC and others.

COVID-19

Despite all the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PacREF member countries (15 including Tonga) and implementing agencies collaborated and began working on several educational development initiatives.

Mr Jitok acknowledged the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Asian Development Bank, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) towards the implementation of the PacREF programme and said their support had been essential in the progress of the programme.