NEGOTIATING INDIGENOUS PARTICIPATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT 1 Kabini F. Sanga Introduction Solomon Islands attained political independence from Britain in 1978 after eighty-five years under colonial rule. Since 1978, the localisation of positions previously held by colonial administrators has been swift and comprehensive. In the education sector, this policy was evident as colonial school masters and college lecturers were replaced by young indigenous graduates. In spite of this widespread political move, participation by indigenous Solomon Islanders in policy setting was slow, however. In teacher education, Solomon Islanders continued to teach programmes that were set, developed, and funded by foreigners. It was not until 1993, fifteen years after independence, that a significant change occurred; for the first time, indigenous people began having a significant input into the development of teacher education programmes. On the face of it, one could interpret this change to the status quo simply in socio-political terms. Having become a sovereign people again, Solomon Islanders were now ready to develop their own teacher education programmes. This explanation would, however, be too simplistic. The explanations surrounding the participation of indigenous Solomon Islanders in setting policy, and the consequential development of their own teacher education programmes in 1993, are more elaborate. This paper is intended to tell that story by analysing the Solomon Islands experience in facilitating indigenous participation in teacher education programme development. From this=analysis, a clearer understanding of the problematic context of developing an inclusive educational policy setting framework within a post-colonial situation will hopefully emerge. Adapted from a paper presented at the Canadian Association for Teacher Education,XXIV Annual Conference at Brock University, St. Catherine, Canada, June 4-7. 1996. 57