West New Britain is one of the few provinces in Papua New Guinea, which is growing rapidly in terms of Politics, Social and Economic developments. It is a province of Papua New Guinea on the islands of New Britain. The provincial capital is Kimbe. The area of the province in 20,387 km² with a population of 264,264 as of the 2011 census.
Consistent with the Organic Law on Provincial and Local level Government (OLPLLG), the provincial education system in West New Britain is a decentralized function particularly from Elementary, Primary, Secondary and Vocational Education, except for standards and curriculum matters. Decision-making relative to education matters (teacher appointments, teacher salary, discipline, school infrastructure and facilities development and maintenance, etc) is West New Britain Provincial Government’s responsibility.
Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE) is planned to be a provincial government responsibility in the life of this education plan. However, the UPNG Kimbe Open Campus, which is a joint venture activity by the Provincial Government and University, shall remain as it is without a monopolistic control by anyone party. This would ensure social capital networking and sharing of other West New Britain Education Plan 2007-2016 5 resources, the maintenance of independent university academic programs for effective human resource development in West New Britain. The diagram next page illustrates the structure of the education system of WNB in this Plan.
The land covers a total land area of 24,575 square kilometers. It is an island of diverse cultures and traditions with its interior extremely rugged. It accommodates a mountainous spine that runs from the Eastern tips forming the Nakanai Mountains at a height of 2185 meters above sea level, which meets up with the Whitman range to the West.
Geographically it varies from one place to the other from tropical rainforest, caves, jungles covered with mountains and deep cliff down through formidably steep and rugged valleys. From many types of forest to fresh water, swamps, plain and teroid mangrove swamps on coastal areas. The common provincial boundaries with East New Britain to the East, Morobe to the West and Manus to the North that is located in the vast length of the Bismarck Sea, and contained rich, diverse and unique marine life forms.
West New Britain has a population of about 184,508 according to the 2000 National Census. Of the other five provinces the province is also ranked as the fastest growing province in the country with an annual growth rate of 3.6%.
The province has a population density of 6.1 person per square kilometer with the highest population densities being in the Kimbe, Hoskins and Bialla areas. The updated information indicated that the province has 500 rural villages, 300 rural non-villages and communities, 30 resettlements schemes and 70 plantations.
Of over 800 distinct languages spoken in Papua New Guinea, Pidgin and Hiri Motu are the two most widely used, but English is the official language of Education, Business and Government.
West New Britain has approximately 29 distinct languages of which 21 are spoken by the Kandrian District and 8 languages spoken by Talasea District.