Title: Higher education and human resource development in the Pacific

Abstract: Baba, in his paper, traces the development of higher education in the South Pacific, with particular reference to teacher education, and examines some of the thinking which has guided developments in higher education and teacher education in the region.

Title: An innovation in teacher education

Abstract: The authors describe an innovation in teacher education at the University of Auckland that addresses the shortage of teachers in New Zealand and the competition between teacher training institutions to attract students. The paper outlines the special features of the graduate teacher education programme and the strategic established to meet the needs of Pacific island students.

Title: Critical comparisons : the case of teacher education in the United Kingdom

Abstract: The author at primary and secondary teacher education in the United Kingdom in relation to the National Curriculum, contested issues of the role and status of teachers as perceived by the Teacher Training Authority, the rival claims of schools and institutions of higher education as training sites, and the practical possibilities for research-based improvements in teaching and teacher education. Jenkins also briefly analyses the strengths and limitations of teacher preparation models used in the UK and in the South Pacific.

Title: Human resource development and science education in the Pacific : where are we heading?

Abstract: The author starts by outlining some of the key issues that have shaped and continue to influence school science globally, with particular reference to the science curriculum debate (science for the citizen vs science for the specialist), the question of relevance, and the problems of curriculum change. He then looks at some of the developments in the Pacific region in relation to curriculum reform in science education, science teacher education and professional development.

Title: Curriculum enrichment, teaching and assessment : a three-legged stool

Abstract: The author addresses the issue of curriculum enrichment as a vital and dynamic process in our educational systems. He argues that curriculum enrichment cannot take place in a vacuum without the participation of teachers, and that innovations in the curriculum must go hand in hand with adequate teacher preparation and the development of appropriate assessment methods to suit particular learning outcomes.

Title: Conditions for teaching and learning in Pacific primary schools

Abstract: The author, with reference to the regional Basic Education and Life Skills (BELS) Programme, highlights conditions for teaching and learning that are widely shared by primary schools in the 12 countries participating in BELS, and looks closely at their impact on the professional role of teachers and the quality of education provided in primary schools. Keeping the resource constraints in mind, Singh calls for promoting more school-based teacher initiatives in solving some of the known professional deficiencies that adversely affect the quality of learning and teaching.