The news about educational reform in my fair state of Chuuk is not good. In fact, it’s becoming alarmingly bad that it deserves drastic measures. If Chuuk’s education is likened to the sinking of the Titanic, then the sequence of Chuukese headlines of that historic maritime disaster might look like this:

• Headline 1: “Chitanic Hit Coral Reef!”
• Headline 2: “Chitanic Taking on Water from Small and Giant Holes Observed below Waterline!”
• Headline 3: “Chitanic Sinking Fast!”
• Headline 4: “Chitanic Owner Demand a New Captain!”
• Headline 5: “Chitanic Captain Relieved of Duties; Sent to Bail Water from Officers Lounge!”
• Headline 6: “Chitanic Board of Directors Promoted Fellow Board Member as Captain While Away on Medical Leave!”
• Headline 7: “Help Wanted: Chitanic Hiring Orchestra Conductor!”

Back to reality in Chuuk today:

• Fact 1: Chuuk State Department of Education’s Reform Plan implementation has come to a screeching halt (if it even started).
• Fact 2: Chuuk Education Reform Plan has too many small and large problems in systems, management, integrity, and competence.
• Fact 3: Chuuk’s public education is getting worst by the day.
• Fact 4: Chuuk’s newly re-elected Governor, the Honorable Johnson Elimo has demanded 3 nominees from the Chuuk Board of Education for a new Director of Education per Chuuk State Law.
• Fact 5: DOE Director Gardenia Aisek and Deputy Director Noha Ruben have been demoted to being DOE consultants while still maintaining their offices as 1st and 2nd in command at DOE.
• Fact 6: Chuuk Board of Education has promoted Ansina Kony, a Board member to serve as Acting Director while she’s away in the Philippines on Medical Leave.
• Fact 7: PREL is seeking to hire an “Education Reform Implementation Expert” to live in Chuuk to “support Chuuk State Department of Education’s challenges related to planning, managing the implementation of, and monitoring a systemic education reform effort.” Applications to close on June 28, 2013; Position to start on July 31, 2013.

I’m afraid Chuuk needs more than just a resident consultant to implement Chuuk’s education reform plan. At this point, the sinking Chitanic needs a strong captain to take command of the situation. Without a captain, PREL might as well be searching for a musician to conduct the Chitanic orchestra to serenade the passengers and crew as the Chitanic crosses the threshold to its last moments before sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Chuuk needs a strong EChuukation Expert to be nominated and approved first before the reform implementation expert can implement anything.

Do you know an eChuukation expert who knows Chuuk and loves the Chuukese people? We need someone who believes in the Chuukese people’s ability to solve our own educational problems without worrying about who takes the credit or who has more power? Is there anyone who can transform the incompetent local leadership to salvage the best of the Chuukese spirit and lead us out of that hopelessness into a new era of actively engaged communities in educational reform? Do you know anyone who can lead educational reform implementation in Chuuk with a deep appreciation for Chuukese cultural values that must be taught, lived, and learned in a Western school system?

Do you know of any experienced eChuukation leader? Someone who is first and foremost an educator who possesses the courage of a warrior, the humility of a wise chief, the compassion of a true teacher, and the open mindedness of a kintergardener?

Do you know a politically-savy eChuukation expert? Someone who understands the complexity of Chuukese politics and the delicate FSM / US relationship? We need someone who can work within the pull and tug reality between the US Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) which holds the purse (power) and the Chuuk State Department of Education (DOE) which handles the curse (problems).

Do you know of an expert eChuukational massage therapist? Someone who can manage educational priorities while massaging the egos of Chuukese politicians who will stop at nothing short of throwing the Chuukese child outside the reef to swim on their own if the kids stand in the way of their re-election bid?

Do you know someone who can  (or at least pretend) to listen to politicians ramble on about how our local educational problems are caused by the US government (through OIA) simply because the US wants… accountability? Someone who understands that fiscal accountability is a moral obligation of the recipient of a fund? That being accountable to the US for the Compact funding is our responsibility and not a “sovereignty” issue? Or maybe that someone needs to diplomatically tell the US that empty threats to politicians and DOE administrators will not solve local incompetence. And it will definitely not gain any momentum in community involvement in educational reform. That the OIA-sponsored Advisory Group is just another layer of savage threats that will not result in sustainable community-led reform initiatives?

Do you know a religious eChuukation expert? Someone who can humbly pray with and at times courageously admonish the all-powerful Catholic and Protestant church leaders who are impediments to public educational reform? Someone who will remind these religious leaders that public education will not be saved by prayers alone, but by the courageous act of working alongside the teachers and principals to keep them accountable for absences while providing the educators all the support they need to teach God’s children in Chuuk? Someone to regularly remind the church leaders that maybe God wants the people to focus more on helping the public schools and less on frivolous fundraising efforts? Or that keeping kids in the classroom is perhaps more important than preparing for yet another church function?

Do you know of an eChuukation expert who truly understands that the Titanic-size Chuuk Department of Education (Chitanic) is sinking NOT from one giant iceberg-size hole in its underbelly but from the hundreds of tiny and large holes caused by their and our collective uncaring attitudes about educational improvement? Someone who is ready to train incompetent employees or terminate them if they are unwilling to change for the sake of the children of Chuuk.

It’s not Rosey on Chitanic right now; we need a Jack of all Trades to swoop in and save us from ourselves. We need the Board of Education to work harder (than my good buddy Destin Penland at PREL) to find the right Executive Director of the Chuuk State School System (fancy name for Director, Department of Education). After all, the Chitanic might need a competent captain first before a musical conductor. PREL’s consultant is only as effective as the new Chuuk State eChuukation Director.

But, if you know of a good consultant, then tell him/her about the PREL job announcement for the “Education Reform Implementation Expert” below:

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Education Reform Implementation Expert 

Based in Chuuk State of the Federated States of Micronesia
*Application must be received by 28 June 2013*

*Job Description*

Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL), with headquarters in Hawaii and offices throughout the North Pacific, is dedicated to enhancing community well-being through partnerships in education. For over 20 years PREL has served the educational community with quality programs, services,and products developed to promote educational excellence. We work with students, teachers, administrators, policymakers, and communities to identify and respond to needs, evaluate programs, and develop new solutions.The breadth of our work-ranging from educational research and evaluation,strategic planning, to developing curriculum, accountability and assessment systems, teacher certification systems, materials and texts, to transforming schools-allows us to take a comprehensive look at education in the Pacific region and to bring wide-ranging expertise and innovative methods to meet
the needs of education systems.

PREL is recruiting a qualified candidate to serve as Education Reform Implementation Expert for a systemic education reform program in Chuuk State of the Federated States of Micronesia. This project’s implementation will support Chuuk State Department of Education’s challenges related to planning, managing the implementation of, and monitoring a systemic education reform effort. The consultant will begin work by 31st of July 2013 and will work with the Chuuk Department of Education for a period of one year with contracts renewable annually based on performance and need.

*Essential Job Functions*

The Education Reform Implementation Expert will lead the management,implementation, and overall quality assurance of the project. In this role, s/he will be PREL’s primary point of contact with Chuuk State government and other partner agencies. Based in Chuuk, the Education Reform Implementation Expert will:

• Oversees day-to-day on-the-ground management of education reform program.
• Provide technical leadership and quality assurance in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Chuuk Education Reform Plan.
• Collaborate with Chuuk Department of Education counterparts and other education stakeholders to guide implementation and ensure the timely and quality completion of technical, financial and contractual deliverables.
• Provide direct managerial oversight to all staff and consultants working on this program and for all program operations.
• Provide technical assistance to counterparts and clients, as required.
• Ensures compliance with donor requirements.
• Maintain and effectively manage relationships with Chuuk State and PREL partners implementing the project.

*Qualifications*

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in development, including education reform, teacher training, literacy, grants management, research and community mobilization.
• A proven track record in managing donor-funded education projects and implementing a national level program alongside the government
• Experience and proven ability to build and maintain relationships with government counterparts and other stakeholders
• A master’s degree or higher in education or a related field
• Demonstrated ability to manage and motivate staff into a cohesive team
• Experience with donor project management policies, procedures and reporting requirements
• Absolute fluency in English and superlative communication and writing skills
• Experience working in Pacific Island States preferred.

*Application Procedures*

All applications are to be sent to Destin Penland at penlandd@prel.org by no later than Friday, 28 June 2013.

Applications must include a CV (including names of three referees for reference check, two of whom have closely supervised performance at work during the last 5 – 10 years). In your application, please state date of availability to take up the position.

For any inquiry, please contact Destin Penland at penlandd@prel.org.

Dr. Vid Raatior

Consultant at Raatior Ventures

Vid is an education consultant, web designer, social entrepreneur from Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). He earned his BA in communications from University of Guam, MA in school administration from University of San Francisco, and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) degree from University of Hawaii at Manoa. Vid lives in Northern California and works at the College of Professional & Global Education at San Jose State University. Previously, he worked at UC Santa Cruz, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Santa Clara University, and Xavier High School in Micronesia.