Papua New Guinea Literacy and Numeracy Project

Photo: Anosa Imase was interviewed by the Church Partnership Program
M&E Officer at the Anglicare Head Office in Port Moresby. © Anglicare PNG

One man’s long-held ambition to be a teacher is well on the way to fruition,
thanks to Anglicare Papua New Guinea’s Adult Literacy Schools

Anosa Imase has been attending Anglicare Papua New Guinea’s Port Moresby Adult Literacy Centre since 2015. Originally from Marawaka, a very remote community in the Obuna-Wanenara district of Eastern Highlands Province that can only be accessed by air, he moved to Port Moresby in 2013 to look for work.

Now in his late 30s, Anosa started school at the age of 8 and completed his primary education by the time he was 16. He is married and lives with his wife and five-year-old son in Port Moresby, where he works as a security guard.

But Anosa’s goal is to become a teacher. About 10 years ago he had the opportunity to train as an Early Childhood Teacher in his village, but he always wanted to attend Teacher’s College and teach older children.

Anosa was searching for a literacy school for many years without much success. He was determined to further his education, but the challenges of costs and class availability meant he couldn’t find a suitable program.

One day, one of his co-workers told him about the Anglicare Adult Literacy Program. He lost no time and started attending in 2015. At first, he attended the general class for two weeks and was then streamed straight to Level 4.

Since Anosa was still working as a security guard, the Adult Literacy Coordinator wrote a letter to his employer requesting them to consider his shifts so he could attend classes at times which would work in with their business operations.

Anosa says, “2015 was a challenging year with work commitments, attending classes, and maintaining my family responsibilities.”

Despite this, Anosa has never missed a class as he is determined to realize his dream of becoming a teacher. He has studied Math, English, Social Inclusion and Basic Phonics. He said he really enjoyed the Phonics lessons and will continue with these.

With help from his teacher, Anosa has now begun Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE) studies to complete the higher grades of his education. He has already completed grades nine to eleven and is on track to complete grade twelve next year. He will then be eligible to attend Teachers College.

Anosa spoke enthusiastically about the support and encouragement he received from his literacy teachers and Anglicare staff who assisted with his further education enrolment.

He would also like to thank DFAT and ABM’s supporters for their ongoing commitment to assisting people in PNG.

ABM’s Adult Literacy Program is implemented by Anglicare PNG and supported by the Australian Government through the Papua New Guinea–Australia Partnership.

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