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Teacher Training — Learning to Use Textbooks Together with Teachers in the Capital

Teacher Training — Learning to Use Textbooks Together with Teachers in the Capital

［Goal 4］ Quality Education

2025.09.19

On August 28 and 29, 2025, a two-day teacher training workshop for elementary and primary school teachers was held in Port Moresby. The program was led by JICA Volunteers Mr. Yu Suzuki (Popondetta Primary School) and Mr. Koya Kobayashi (Bethel Primary School), with support from JICA Education Expert Mr. Akinori Ito, in collaboration with the NCD Education office.

Mr. Yu Suzuki (Popondetta Primary School)

Mr. Koya Kobayashi (Bethel Primary School)

Purpose of the Training
In Papua New Guinea, nationally developed mathematics textbooks have been distributed to Grades 1–6. However, in many schools these materials were not yet fully utilized in daily lessons due to lack of awareness and trainings. The training aimed to help teachers better understand the significance and benefits of textbooks and to provide practical strategies for making them easier to use in the classroom.

Training Content
Over two days, participants were introduced to ways of structuring lessons and using teaching materials through demonstrations and mock lessons inline with textbooks.

Step-by-Step Lesson Structure
Teachers explored the four-step cycle of review, demonstration, practice, and summary, designed to deepen student understanding and build confidence in learning.

Use of Visual Materials
A range of simple, locally available teaching aids were introduced, including blocks, handmade clocks, and activity cards. A mock lesson on the concept of “making 10” left a strong impression on participants.
Practical Teaching Aids
Examples included illustrated multiplication charts, diagrams for fractions, and visual organizers for word problems, offering teachers a variety of tools they could readily apply in their own classrooms.

Teachers’ Reactions
Many teachers commented that they had learned new ways to use textbooks and felt motivated to apply them. Lower-grade teachers in particular expressed eagerness to try the methods immediately in their lessons. Some senior teachers, accustomed to long-established practices, showed initial hesitation, but overall there was a growing openness to new approaches.

Expert’s Perspective
JICA Expert Mr. Ito, who supported the training, remarked: “This program helped teachers rediscover the value of textbooks and inspired them to put them into practice.” He highlighted the importance of focusing on lower-grade teachers, noting that such training plays a vital role in strengthening children’s foundational mathematics skills.

JICA Education Expert Mr. Akinori Ito

Looking Ahead
The training reaffirmed that effective use of textbooks contributes directly to improving student learning outcomes. At the same time, it highlighted the importance of ongoing professional development and the wider dissemination of teaching materials.

JICA will continue working with the Ministry of Education, experts, and volunteers to support schools in the capital and across the country, helping children in Papua New Guinea grow in a better learning environment.

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