Entropolis, in collaboration with UNICEF Australia, UNICEF PNG and PNG National Department of Education, has recently launched a pilot of the exciting, transformative Teen Entrepreneur program in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Placing a strong emphasis on enhancing the professional engagement and upskilling of primary school educators, the core objective of the program is to inspire and empower PNG students through experiential entrepreneurship education, giving them the opportunity and agency to build skills and forge new pathways for the future. Following 2 years of strategic collaboration, curriculum co-creation and resource development with our partners, seven schools piloted the program with over 600 students (both boys and girls) from August 2023.
To ensure successful, widespread implementation of the program across all regions of PNG, Entropolis’ Education Lead Heather MacDonald delivered in person professional learning to 35 primary school educators and a train-the-trainer program to 25 Head Teachers and representatives from the PNG Department of Education over two weeks. Following the initial pilot, the goal is to extend the Teen Entrepreneur program to more provinces in PNG, nurturing the growth of students and teachers' entrepreneurial mindset and skillset.
The PNG National Department of Education is deeply committed to entrepreneurship education, driven by the conviction that fostering capacity and capabilities in students is paramount for future workforce and life success. They emphasise the cultivation of agile, critical, and creative thinkers who can adeptly define problems, craft solutions, and evolve into self-directed learners. The department envisions students as thoughtful and productive citizens, adept at utilising available resources. In the unique cultural context of PNG, we have meticulously developed tailored gender-responsive and disability inclusive program materials for schools and instilled confidence in educators to deliver an education style that engages and empowers students. This experience has underscored the significance of building learning experiences through collaborative design, attentive listening to community needs, strengths, and unique opportunities, and a commitment to maintaining an entrepreneurial mindset that encourages exploring, evaluating and incorporating diverse options and ideas.
