Solomon Islands Case Study

Lighting a Fire - VSA’s role in promoting education leadership in the Solomon

Islands, examines Volunteer Service Abroad’s contribution to in-service teacher
training in the Solomon Islands, and the role of New Zealand volunteers in
strengthening educational leadership. VSA has been involved in education in the
Pacific for nearly 50 years and for most of that time it has been providing New
Zealand volunteers to schools as teachers and educationalists. However there
has been a shift in development thinking which has seen this approach
questioned and more emphasis placed on teacher training and professional
development. This case study, based on quantitative and qualitative research of
VSA’s recent experience in the Solomon Islands, discusses a new approach to
strengthening school leadership for the many remote, isolated and under-
resourced schools of the Solomon Islands. Six lessons emerged from the
research:
• Traditional approaches to volunteering need to be regularly reviewed to
ensure that they remain relevant.
• Completing a detailed survey, undertaking a critical analysis, and presenting
the results can shift thinking and lead to fresh approaches.
• Volunteers are in a unique position to recognise and mobilise community
strengths and assets.
• What is happening at the grass roots can inform high level planning.
• A centralised approach to development has a limited impact on a
decentralised population.
• A small number of volunteers can have a significant impact if their efforts are
well focussed.

Tokelau Case Study

Rethinking Tokelau Education - Tokelau and the role of New Zealand volunteers,
reviews and evaluates Volunteer Service Abroad’s Tokelau programme and
identified the impacts of the work of twenty eight New Zealand volunteers during
the period from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2010. This study, using quantitative and
qualitative methods, charts the history of VSA’s decade long engagement with
the Government of Tokelau, identifies the contribution of New Zealand
volunteers to the development of education in Tokelau, outlines the findings of a
recent study, identifies lessons learnt, and looks to the future. Five lessons were
identified:
• Tokelau is a complex and challenging environment to promote change - there
are no simple answers and good change takes time.
• A planned, comprehensive approach is required to improve Tokelau
Education.
• In-Service Teacher Training is an important aspect of any Programme of
Education improvement on Tokelau.
• Respectful, long-term partnerships are necessary to ensure sustainable
development.
• Traditional approaches to formal education in Tokelau have had limited
success, rethinking Tokelau education from a ‘Pacific’ perspective may be a
way forward.