Decentralisation emerged as a prominent policy trend during the 1960s and 1970s, in both industrialized and less developed countries. In the latter, it became a popular reform for immediate post-independence governments, and Papua New Guinea was no exception.
With only three million people but 19 provincial governments and 20 ministers for Education, Papua New Guinea appeared at the time to have one of the most decentralised systems in the world. Within this framework, however, there were many contradictions and centralist strings. Originally published in 1984, Educational Planning in a Decentralised System is the first detailed account of decentralisation in the education sector in Papua New Guinea, presenting a clear analysis of the complexities of the system and the impact of decentralisation on inequalities, efficiency, and participation.