The PRIDE Project – a result of concerns about education raised by members of the Pacific Island Forum in 1999 – was launched on May 14, 2004 and implemented by the Institute of Education at the University of the South Pacific through funding from the European Union (EU) through the European Development Fund (EDF) and New Zealand through New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID). The PRIDE Project “seeks to enhance student learning is Pacific countries – Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu – by strengthening the capacity of each Ministry of Education (or equivalent) to plan and deliver quality basic education.
Sinton Soalablai, Chief of School Management (Palau Ministry of Education – MOE) and Mary Arius, Librarian, Palau Public Library represented Palau in the workshop.According to Arius, the theme of the workshop was “Pacific Knowledge Societies: Developing equitable access to quality resources and information literacy.” She further added that purpose of the workshop is to “advance awareness of the importance of equitable to quality resources to support teaching and learning in the Pacific through school libraries, learning centers, and information and communication technology (ICT).”Arius further added that she and Soalablai presented an overview of Palau’s public schools libraries and the public library. Moreover, they participated in all the activities and very impressed with all the possibilities that libraries in Palau can be improved.“I learned so many things and I plan to use what I have learned to improve Palau’s Public Library and to assist school librarians,” Arius commented. “If possible, I’d like to ensure that all information becomes accessible through the Public Library.”Arius said that during the PRIDE workshop she learned of “One laptop per child” (OLPC). OLPC is non-profit association dedicated to research to develop and provide school children – especially children from underdeveloped countries – with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. She further added that Palau is on the list of OLPC.Arius said that she is very grateful for the PRIDE Project for sponsoring the workshop and plans to apply all that she had learned to improve teaching and learning in Palau.
