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ABSTRACT
The paper heralds a new pedagogical model known as the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme as a platform to upgrade the qualifications of secondary school science teachers throughout the Pacific region. Based on a tripartite partnership between a higher education provider, a regional government and a cohort of science teachers, the model offers an accelerated Bachelor’s degree programme to the cohort. Using this tripartite partnership model, a pilot of the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme is underway between the University of the South Pacific, the Government of Samoa and a cohort of science teachers in Samoa. The underpinning activities garnering social and academic integration are highlighted with analytics. The strengths, challenges and opportunities of the new, cohort-taught science model are presented with relevant diagnoses, interventions and adaptive works carried out in the first half of the delivery plan. While the Government of Samoa is considering the implementation of a second cycle, the University of the South Pacific is considering extending the model to other regional countries.
Acknowledgments
The authors convey profound thanks to the University of the South Pacific’s Senior Managment Team for supporting the programme and the hardworking staff who contributed towards its implementation. The scholarships and support from the Government of Samoa for piloting STAP is sincerely appreciated.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Bibhya Sharma
Bibhya Sharma is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at USP. He has published more than 80 articles in science education, robotics, biologically inspired processes and higher education.
Faatamali’i Jenny Lauano
Faatamali’i Jenny Lauano is the Assistant Chief Executive Officer at the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, Samoa. She manages the teacher training and development division.
Swasti Narayan
Swasti Narayan is an Executive Project Officer for the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme offered at regional campuses at the University of the South Pacific.
Afshana Anzeg
Afshana Anzeg is a Student Learning Specialist at the University of the South Pacific. She coordinates the Science Faculty’s Peer Support Programmes.
Bijeta Kumar
Bijeta Kumar an accomplished, results oriented FSTE First Year Experience Coordinator with analytical experience leading high performance teams and successfully increasing efficiency and retention rates of new students.
Jai Raj
Jai Raj is currently pursuing his PhD in Applied Mathematics at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia.