Description
Education in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is haunted by the legacies of a ten-year civil war (1988-1998) and a colonial education system enforced on and by Papua New Guinea (PNG) on the region. While the war resulted in an entire generation missing out on education as well as students suffering from conflict induced traumas, the PNG education system that Bougainvilleans have inherited is plagued by an inadequate, ever-changing curriculum, as well as financial, infrastructural and sustainability issues. Finding the colonial education system enforced by PNG on Bougainville highly inadequate, as well as inappropriate due to its exploitative design, Theonila Roka Matbob and her family intervened and set up their own school and education system. On the very site of where the Bougainville crisis started, the apocalyptic remnants of one of the largest copper and gold mines in the world, they founded The John Roka Memorial School. Initiated in 2014, the school was named in memory of their father and husband who was killed during the crisis. In this presentation, Theonila will highlight the need for a Bougainville education system that will teach its students to appreciate both cultural values and Bougainville land. The goal is to educate and create a generation that instead of continuing colonial, individualistic exploitive practices, engages with the land in culturally appropriate and sustainable ways, thereby supporting Bougainville’s journey towards independence.| Period | 27 Jun 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event title | Connections Within and Beyond Oceania |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Lucerne, SwitzerlandShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |
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