ABG to host 35th National Senior Education Officers’ Conference in Bougainville
ABG Secretary for Education, Ms Dorothy Kenneth, confirmed that the conference will bring together approximately 200 senior education officials from Port Moresby and all twenty-one provinces.
“Bougainville will be playing host to the 35th Senior Education Officers’ Conference from the 11th to 18th July 2026 and preparations are currently underway with support from the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the National Members of Parliament as well,” she said.
“In accepting to host the 2026 SEOC in our region, we aim to not just come and discuss policy matters but to showcase our culture and to enable them to appreciate the challenges that we face in terms of education in the region and also to enable them to come and experience how peaceful our region is.”
The 2026 conference will be held under the theme ‘Leading Quality Teaching and Learning through Partnership’, aligned with the National Education Calendar for 2026.
Ms Kenneth explained that SEOC is an important education program that is held each year to discuss current and new education policy initiatives and make important decisions on policy matters.
Participants will include Provincial Education Advisors, Provincial Education Planners from all twenty-one provinces, and the top management team of the National Department of Education, led by Acting National Minister for Education Hon. Kinoka Feo and National Education Secretary Dr Uke Kombra. The Chairman of the Teachers Services Commission and the Director General of the Office of Libraries and Archives will also attend.
She also confirmed that the ABG Department of Education has gone ahead with preparations since November last year, working closely with a team from the National Department of Education, adding that a grounds committee has been set up headed by the ABG Deputy Education Secretary Ms. Mary Remi.
Ms Kenneth also acknowledged the Church Agencies in the region for working in partnership with the ABG Education to plan and host this major event.
The official opening of the conference will be on Monday 13th of July at the Hutjena Sports oval in which sixty schools will be participating at the opening ceremony. The Conference proper will begin after lunch on Monday at Hutjena Secondary School Hall and continue to Thursday 16th of July 2026.
School visits are scheduled for Friday 17th of July in which fourteen schools in Bougainville have been identified and the schools include Bougainville Technical College, Koromira Technical High School, Mabiri High School, Tinputz High School, Callan IERC Centre, Burunotui Vocational School, Siara Vocational School, Hahela Primary School, Hahalis Primary School, Lontis Primary School, Petatz Primary School, Saposa Primary School, St. Joseph The Worker Centre and Roha Early Childhood Centre.
Ms Kenneth noted that safety considerations were raised by the National Department of Education in light of ongoing national parliamentary discussions on Bougainville’s political future. She confirmed that assurances were provided at the highest level that education programmes will proceed without disruption.
“ABG President His Excellency Hon. Ishmael Toroama gave the assurance that despite the political discussions in parliament, Education is one area where the National Government and ABG have common interest and cooperation in ensuring that there is continuity in the provision of Education and that discussions in parliament should not disrupt education programs in the region,” she said.
Secretary Kenneth thanked the ABG for supporting the Education Department to host this important conference and called on Bougainvilleans in the region to accord the best hospitality to the visitors in the Bougainville way.
“Bougainville is playing host to this delegation and I appeal to us all to accord them that Bougainville way so that they can feel safe and free while here and bring back with them some good Bougainville experience and memories,” she said.
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