Marine Environment Education Program Scoping Study of Schools and Teachers College in Madang

 

Mrs Adolphina Luvongit posing with Madang Teacher’s College trainee students at Ambarina Primary School.

At MAKATA we believe that turtle conservation goals can be achieved through a collaborative effort. We have identified educational institutions as one of our key partners in achieving this. In order to pursue our objective, we engaged Mahonia Na Dari's Education Officer, Mrs Adolphina Luvongit to help conduct a scoping study to help us determine the possibilities of venturing into the Marine Environment Education Program in partnership with Mahonia Na Dari, a local NGO based in West New Britain Province. This year we plan to conduct our first primary school teacher's in-service program on MEEP for 20 teachers at Alexishafen, Madang, PNG. For more information please contact Wenceslaus Magun on: magun.wences@gmail.com 

By Adolphina Luvongit for MAKATA (Edited by Job Opu)

Date: August 2013

 

1.  Introduction

Marine Environment Education Program (MEEP) is an education and awareness program pioneered and developed by the Mahonia Na Dari Research Institution, a Papua New Guinean National Non –Government Organization.

Mahonia Na Dari Institute is based in the Nature Center adjacent to the Walindi Plantation Resort about 15 minutes’ drive along the coastal road towards the West coast.  Hence the MEEP since its inception and introduction has been targeting school children from primary and secondary schools in Kimbe and the surroundings. Teachers have also been targeted by the program and quite a number have gone through the program. The program has also extended to other New Guinea islands provinces as funding permitted Mahonia Na Dari focuses on marine education and awareness as its major program activity.

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1.2 What is MEEP?

MEEP is basically a marine environment education program with a fully developed curriculum and associated course materials etc. There is a theory side of the MEEP which is taught inside a lecture room setting and a practical side of it which introduces students to the marine world through snorkeling and observation of the various unique marine habitats including mangroves, seagrass and coral reefs. Students also utilized the wet laboratory by bringing specimen to further study with the aid of the microscopes. 

The MEEP covers concepts in basic marine biology, marine ecology, threats, conservation and resource management. The resource materials used are designed in accordance to the syllabus used in the PNG education curriculum.

Kimbe Bay where Mahonia Na Dari is situated is a very ideal setting for such program.

MEEP is conducted by Mahonia Na Dari to coastal schools and communities of West New Britain. The program was initiated in 1997, and has expanded to cater for the needs of schools outside of the province.  Intensive MEEP is offered to three (3) secondary/high school students. The participants in the program are particularly interested students who meet requirements (as set out by MEEP). They fill in an application and selection criteria are used to select student.

MEEP is run on Saturdays (so that it doesn’t clash or affect normal school activities) for 9 weeks and it ends with student participants undertaking a marine awareness of what they have learnt to accessible primary schools. The participants are presented with a certificate of participation upon completion of the program.

The program is aimed to instill conservation ethics into the young generation as we believe they can influence future decision making. This program is also tailored to suit the different level of audience. MEEP is also conducted in teachers training to primary school teachers to complement the stand alone subject, “Environmental Studies”.

2.  Aims and Objectives of the Scoping Study

A short study was undertaken with the following objectives:

·         Identify needs of school in Madang in marine environment education.

·         If the MEEP was relevant and applicable to the Coastal schools of Madang

·         How MAKATA and Mahonia Na Dari could partner and carry out the MEEP to Madang schools and teachers colleges.

·         A possible costs and budget to carry out such program.

3.  Methodologies

Two basic methods were used is this study.

The first method involved a consultation process with various stakeholders in Madang were consulted to get the feel of the MEEP and its applicability in Madang Schools. Random groups were selected and consulted with. This formed part of the assessment.

The second method was a more detailed method involving the use of questionnaires on an evaluation form, with more direct questions to be answered by individuals.  Students were taken through a MEEP and given an evaluation form to fill in. Refer appendix  for sample questionnaires. The results were then collated and analyzed.

4. Outcomes of the survey

The study was to see how MAKATA could partner with Mahonia Na Dari with its’ Marine Environmental Education Program and run the MEEP with coastal schools and communities of Madang. A mini – research was conducted to identify the needs of schools and island communities of Madang in relation to their livelihood and the marine resource management now and in the future.

A scoping study was conducted in Madang in conjunction with Marine Environment Education training to the third year students of the Madang Teachers College. Mahonia Na Dari specializes in the education and awareness of the marine environment. Madang Teachers College is the only institution in the country that has signed an MOU with the Organization for the annual training of the final year students (formally the second year students).

Whilst in Madang to conduct the training and because timing was very short, a needs analysis survey at the Ambarina Primary school to 12 participating teachers was rapidly undertaken, and several random visits to other schools and communities were also undertaken. .

Based on the survey accompanied by the evaluation form filled in by the third year students, the following observed were noted:

·         Majority stated that the program was very important to them as teachers to be more knowledgeable about the marine environment so they can be able to better teach in schools and carry out awareness in their local communities.

·         They also mention the need for the training to be conducted to the field teachers.

·         During the awareness at Ambarina Primary School, both the field teachers and students were learning at the same time. This was an indication that field teachers lack desired knowledge about the marine environment. (refer to evaluation form on the index page).

·         The field teachers also expressed a need for the Marine Environment Education Program (MEEP) to be accessible to them through trainings, as well as a need for resource materials to effectively teach topics on basic marine biology, ecology etc.

·         A random visit was also made to several communities where couple of leaders within the conservation areas, expressed a need for such program to reach their schools and communities.

·         At least engaging an outsider to do awareness is better to create an impact in people’s attitudes, as using community leaders most often has not been enticing to the community.

·         As part of the training in marine conservation, reference was made to marine conservation in the locality. Very little was known about the only leatherback turtle conservation area in Papua New Guinea, using conservation deeds.

5. Recommendation

Mas Kagin Tapani (MAKATA), a local leatherback turtle conservation group in Madang can adopt the Marine Environment Education Program (MEEP) from Mahonia Na Dari to engage with schools and communities for the education and awareness program.

For MAKATA to take this program on board, these are some of the factors it must consider:

Ø  A learning resource center such as the conference room, the library and the office space,

Ø  Research facilities such as a laboratory, storage space, boat & engine

Ø  The administration and the project officers,

Ø  The logistics – vehicle & driver

Ø  Accommodation.

Hence it is strongly recommended that:

1.    MAKATA’s  Board secure sufficient funding to conduct full time MEEP, or

2.    In the interim, MAKATA can sign an MOU with Mahonia Na Dari (MND) to cater for the program in the schools and communities in Madang. MAKATA can secure funding to engage the MND program officer to conduct the MEEP to schools and communities in the project sites as well as other coastal and island schools and communities.

6. Costings for MEEP

The MEEP costings can be provided for schools in Madang should the MAKATA Board require it.

Community profile study for Male, Bom-Sagar and Lalok villages in Astrolabe Bay, Rai Coast District, Madang province, PNG.

Photo:  Male and Lalok women fishing at the beach between Male and Lalok villages.  Photo: MAKATA's field officers.

We have documented very exciting tales of how certain clan in Male village is connected to the turtles. We were fortunate enough to record on video and audio this unique story and will support this community to sustain their traditional turtle conservation efforts. To support this cause, make a small donation to MAKATA. For more information contact Wenceslaus Magun: magun.wences@gmail.com

What is the issue? Why save turtles?

Please see the article in The National newspaper (Friday 22, March 2013 (www.thenational.com.pg).  After a leatherback turtle was killed for protein at the border of Male and Lalok villages, some villagers called for turtle conservation awareness to help change their habitual practice of killing and harvesting turtle eggs for protein to protecting and restoring turtle population. This baseline study is in response to this appeal.

Time engaged: Thursday 13^th-Tuesday 25^th March 2014.

Field Officers: Adolf Lilai, Simon Warr and Howard Sindana

Note: This is a follow-up report of an earlier report we posted on the baseline study for these communities.

By Howard Sindana

Background

This report focuses on the communities of Bom-Sagar, Lalok and Male, in Rai Coast District, Madang, where MAKATA a not-for- profit NGO intends to extend its work to on Leatherback turtle conservation.

MAKATA’s current project sites are located in Karkum, Sarang, Kimadi and Magubem in north coast, Sumkar District Madang.

Like the north coast villagers, leatherback turtle is food to the local people within the three communities of Bom-Sagar, Lalok and Male since their ancestors first settled. The current generation also say it is their source of food. They say leatherback turtle has no relevance and significance to their commercial benefits. Most people in these three communities ponder on how they could get their socio-economic benefits from the Chinese owned Ramu Nickel Mine.

They admitted that they also depend entirely on their land and marine life for food, money and other forms of sustenance.

Bom Sagar, Lalok and Male are villages within the Austrolabe Bay Local Level Government of Rai Coast District in Madang Province.

The study was conducted in Male, Lalok and Bom Sagar Villages. This second visit follows the first community entry visit done in February 2014 by Simon Warr, and Adolf Lilai (Please refer to First Field Trip Report for details).

In this second trip, our team is tasked to work with the resource owners to get their consent to engage with them in delivering outcomes for the turtle conservation project.  In order for that to happen the team seeks to meet the criteria’s of ‘Prior Informed Consent’ by ensuring that the communities are aware of what MAKATA plans to do and that they consent to work with MAKATA to to save the remaining population of the critically endangered leatherback turtles in ways that can also meet their socio-economic needs.

This community profile seeks to also fulfil expectations of all levels of governance including the community, provincial, regional and national level.

We are conscious of our role as partners in development to meet or fulfil the International Union for Conservation Networks (IUCN) call to save the critically endangered leatherback turtle as our primary target.  Our key audience are the local communities who share the beaches these turtles come to nest.

 In doing so we also bear in mind that we contribute towards fulfilling some goals in our Constitution, Vision 2050, the Millennium Development Goals, Madang Kalibobo Vision, Medium Term Development Strategy, Coral Triangle Initiative Goals, and related policies and treaties that PNG is a signatory to in order to manage and sustainably use our marine and terrestrial environment.

Abbreviations

The following are abbreviations used by the community members during field work. Some of these include organisations which they are part of the level of developmental influence.

EBC        Evangelical Brotherhood Church

LLG     Local Level Government

MCC      Metrical Chinese Company

WWF   World Wildlife Fund

JANT    Japanese Niugini Timber Ltd.

NGO      Non-Government Organization

SSEC      Southseas Evangelical Church

Introduction

Our team was tasked to do boundary survey, complete tasks that were not completed in the first community entry process, do awareness and get the clans agree to establish their locally managed marine conservation areas as an holistic approach to saving the critically endangered leatherback turtles.

We were conscious to   gain and maintain trust between each other and the community whilst gathering useful information about the community.

We were tasked to get their clan and community leaders to write a letter to MAKATA inviting MAKATA to work with them to achieve this outcome if they consent to this project.

We were also tasked to capture these activities, folklores and other relevant stories on video and still photos.

One particular story we were tasked to document is the folklore on how Bollon Seng of Male village and his clan originated from the turtle and in the event, Bollon Seng was not available, we were to identify and film someone else in his clan on his behalf.

 This was going to be the conservation process but this did not work out as planned.

Due to circumstances beyond our control we stuck to collecting details of community profile and on how the villagers live and earn their living.

The information collected in the two communities we visited, were from the formal and informal meetings with the leaders and members of the communities by listening and questioning them through story telling.

What we did

This report shows information gathered on specific members of the communities such as elders including elderly men and women, councillors and young adults who are more concerned about the advantages and disadvantages of the model of development which they are not sure of and have no control over in regards to the impacts of development.

It also shows how important their land and sea resources are to them and how they are connected to their natural resources as depicted in their traditional stories.

Acknowledgement

We thank all the villagers of Male, Lalok and Bom-Sagar, particularly those members of the community who helped us perform our interviews and also to those who showed interest in welcoming us to conduct our survey.

This profile is dedicated to the communities along Astrolabe Bay.  All information collected from this survey will be shared with the local communities for their own use in their development aspirations amidst the backdrop of the giant Ramu Nickle Mine operating nearby.

We thank the funder (s) who supported us to do the work along the coastline of Rai Coast in Madang.

Male Village

Male village is about two hours by speed boat or is about one hour by road. It is situated south-east of Madang town in the Rai Coast District of Madang Province in Papua New Guinea.  

There are three rivers without bridges to cross to get to Male, thus making situation difficult for people to move in and out of the village by road during wet season to sell their garden produced at the town market.

The people living in Male today have migrated from the inland down to the coast for better schools, health and administrative purposes during the colonial days. Two clans-Milelga and Lumugubi were the original landowners of Male. Due to cultural tolerance to allow  inland people who have similar dialects and have inter-marriage over the years, the other four major clans were allowed to settle and have access to customary land of their own.

Male Village:

Ward: 6  Male, Rerehu & Buram

Cencius Unit: Bugazim

Local Level Government: Astrolabe Bay

District: Rai Coast

Ward Councillor: Hanz Kurab (Skurab)

Ward Recorder: John Suali

Population: 1243

Male is a village with seven clans which is in Ward Six of Astrolabe Bay Local Level Government in Rai Coast District of Madang Province. The seven clans are:

(a) Milelga-Clan leader Bolon Seng with 356 clan members

(b) Zisimsur- with 34 clan members

(c) Guwong-Clan leader Kakru Mamba with 64 clan members

(d) Jimjam-Clan leader Kasom Bid, clan has 389 members

(e) Jumbukung has 92 members of the clan

(f) Yabang with 216 members; and

(g) Lumbukbi - Clan leader Gabura Mamani has 83 clan population figure.

Language: Wenge dialect. Gambaganga dialect

Established CBOs: Buged Theatre Group

Youth Group: Not registered     

Women’s Group: Warie women group

Church Group: Lutheran, Four Square, Catholic and New Apostolate –There is conflict between denominations. There are three church buildings

Church elders: Douglas Maror-Catholic, Wendy Kouring - Four Square rep, and New Apostolate -  Lalek Kalel

Hamlets: 1. Male 2. Nabu 3. Bor 4. Sinangim 5. Bangau

Main Food Crop: Taro, Banana and Yam

Main Cash Crop: Cocoa, betelnut and copra

Other source of income: Fish, garden produced

Government Services:

-Health-aid post: Lalok aid post and Ileg Health Centre.

Education: Male elemetry, Rerehu elementary, Jilim elementary and Male Primary

Nearest Govt station: Ileg

Access to town: sea/road K20 boat and K7 on pmv truck

Nearest Airport: Madang

Literacy Rate: Low and the problem with school fee and not everyone continue to go for further studies.

Building types: Permanent, semi- permanent and Bush material housing

Migrants in: 6 people                     Migrants out: 100 people

Turtle nesting beaches:

-Lumugubi- Girsilang to Tambogo beach

-Milelga-  Gasilage to Dien beach

Turtle species: Leatherback, Green and Hawksbill

Nesting season:

- March to April

-Yam planting season

-Balbal tree flowers signals nesting season

Issues of concern:

-No proper drinking water

-School fee problem

-Elementary needs funding from local MP-James Gau

-James Gau lost contact with people.

-Bolon Seng wants WWF to stay out from Turtle Conservation which he needs to talk with LLG Member regarding the subject matter.

Contact People:

1.       Bolon Seng former LLG member.  Call : 71787678

2.       Steven Siang former Village Recorder. Call: 71346634

3.       Tatai Headmaster Male Primary Sch. Call: 73658103

4.       Wel Warek

5.       Nano Boti

6.       SANGIS Yangim.

Village: Bom-Sagar 28/2/2014

Census unit: Bugazim                                     Ward: 10              Local Level Government: Astrolabe Bay

District: Rai Coast                                             Ward Councillor: Maxnal Paima

Ward Recorder: Tom Lambert                    Population: 1863

Language: Anjam

Established Groups: Bom Farming Management Group

Youth Group:  Sagar youth and Bosa youth

Church Group: Sagar Mama group.

Church Denomination: Lutheran, Catholic, EBC Evangelical Brotherhood Church, SSEC South Sea Evangelical Church, AOG Assembly of God and Foursquare Church.

Leaders: Andrew Mapui, Abel Loks, Dawa Keky, Jonnah Mado, Michael Gamog, Tonny Bousi.

The Church buildings are semi-permanent and bush material.

Clans and Clan leaders

·         Bom clan

1.       Bali-Powa Painia

2.       Gasimsau- Steven Kodo

3.       Bibilau Jam- Jerry Gaiyam

4.       Karek- Jack Abai

5.       Bom Damui- Kuya Lawai

·         Sagar Clan

1.       Sibinak- Krambang Akum

2.       Paramata- Tonny Young

3.       Rigig- Kalau Gitang

4.       Sau- Benny Molok

Main food crops: Yam, taro and banana

Main cash crops: cocoa

Other source of income: Garden food crop, fish, betelnut and home grown rice.

Community services:

Education government agency: Bugajim Primary school.

Health: Aid Post EBC agency

Elementry: N0-4 Elementry-Government agency & Bom elementary-Government agency.

Nearest Government station: Ileg

Health centre: Tire

Access to town: Road K5 for normal passenger and K7 for market women

Literacy rate: Low caused not identified

Migrants in:   Male 9 female 4 total 13.

Migrants out: Male 5 female 9 total 14.

Government officers: Benny Lumak - Elementry Coordinator, Rai Coast, Kingsley Botty - Police Officer (CID), Waloka - Electrican PNG Power-Yonki.

Company: Benny Painia-Inter oil Branch Manager.

Turtle type found in Bom Sagar: Leatherback, Hawksbill and Green.

Nesting Beach: Jileb, Bararua, Kubal, Jajasnai, Sinai, Labia, Mangya, Yowor, Tiliyaii, Kundum

Community Concerns/Issues.

1.       Ramu Nickel Mine Pipeline has caused blockage to the natural flow of the river causing the river flooding into new land area washing away gardens and land area.

2.       Community corporation is breaking down as individuals are so confined to personal business

3.       Poor road condition with no bridge for farmers to take their garden produce and cocoa into town.

4.       Cultural activities and values breaking down due to too many denominations in one community.

Person interviewed:

-Maxwell Painia                Ward 10 LLG Member

-Gaibo Kinda                      Sobinak clan

-Sakol

Contact person:

-Maxwell Painia                Ph: 72565255

-Sakol Kubou                     Ph: 70551558

Village: Lalok                                     Ward: 7                                                Date: 27^th February 2014

Cencus unit: Bugajim

Local Level Government: Astrolabe Bay  District: Rai Coast

Ward Councillor: John Wiridge

Ward Recorder: Danny Birag

Major Clans: 1. Duwai 2. Wambuk 3. Yawar 4. Yanga 5. Lumbuyakeng 6. Lalok 7. Lumbukbi

Population: 1870

Language: Anzam

Established CBOs: Buged Theatre Group involved in awareness programs

Youth group: Anzam youth

Womens group: Anzam womens group

Church Denominations: Lutheran

Number of Church buildings: Youlu, Anzam, Shoel

Church elders: Evang Yomba, Piezi, Ambel.

Hamlets: (10) 1 Sangar (6) 5, 4, Yawananam, Wandoryai, Nopa, Nanum (Kunai camp), Rai Aga 1, Rai Aga 2, Sagel, Awong

Building types: Semi permanent and bush material.

Main Food: Yam,banana and taro.

Main cash crop: Copra ,cocoa and vanilla

Other source of income: Peanut, garden produced, trade store and fish.

Government services: Aid Post-World Vision funded

Education: Lalok elementary school-European Union funded, Male Primary and Bugazim Primary schools.

Nearest Govt Station:  Ileg

Access to Town: Boat and road/truck

Cost of transport to town- K7 pmv truck and K25 speedboat

Nearest airport: Madang

Tuttle Nesting site and beach owners:

Bongau beach-Lumbukbi clan,

Sangau beach-Sangau clan

Serwa beach-Wambuk clan

Importance of turtle: Legend, it is major source of protein harvested during the planting and harvesting of yam.

Nesting Species: Leatherback, Green turtle and Hawksbill.

Nesting period: Leatherback- yam season from June to December. Green turtle and Hawksbill-anytime of the year.

Migrants in: 2 in 2011 escape from personal problems

Migrants out: 20  (Provincial Administrator Sandaun province, Principal Lutheran School of Nursing, Administrator Ileg & various government and companies.

Project: Self-help: Health officer’s house

Literacy rate: very low. There is great increase of grade 8 and grade 10. Most of them are self-sponsored to mission run institutions in Madang and PNG. The Ward Development Committee is now ready to work with LLG and other agencies.

Recommendations:

1. MAKATA to  work in Male and Bom-Sagar, and not Lalok because there are issues on land boundaries which still needs to be sorted out in Lalok. Lalok villagers are engaged with WWF through their Buged Theatre Group.   This engagement is affecting the community and dividing local beach owners.

2. MAKATA has to run community empowerment training in Male before conservation process commences.

3. Male community be considered as most significant place to setup conservation as Milelga clan has a living history of Leatherback turtle connected to their current origin.  They are also taking steps to conserve turtles.

3. Male and Bugazim Primary schools be included for awareness and trainings

4. Bom-Sagar youth have high motivation. They have constructed a new resource centre. MAKATA must conduct empowerment training (What kind of empowerment training? Identify their training needs) for them before it continues with conservation work.

5. MAKATA’s involvement as a local NGO will make a great difference when conservation work are well funded and accomplished. Threats to their land, rivers and marine resources by Chinese Nickel pipleline sleeps across their land, rivers, villages.  These threats may be addressed by local people to claim rightful compensation when there is a damage.??Explain.  What threats??

6. MAKATA may engage more teams to do awareness, conservation and training separately in one time in different locations in Rai Coast District if there are sufficient funds available. MAKATA is  not just doing leatherback turtle conservation but is also addressing food security and other biodiversity conservation work.

7. MAKATA to engage the right people in the field patrol.

8. MAKATA needs to continue to capture and document the cultural values of communities. Documenting is necessary for future generation to know.  At present these stories, songs and dances are passed onto younger generations through their parents who learnt those stories, songs, dances and other cultural practises from their ancestors.

9. MAKATA has to prepare in advance for request coming from other communities in Rai Coast where leatherback turtle come to nest.

10. MAKATA needs more funds before it sends out the field officers.