This article discusses the ideological principles upheld in the Constitution of Papua New Guinea and other official documents, policy principles which underlie the history of educational development and the current educational reform proposals in the country. The focus of the article is on the nature of reform proposals directed towards the improvement of access to and retention of children in the primary (community) schools of the country and toward structural changes in the secondary education system. Prevailing arguments used for and against the proposed measures and the details of their implementation are highlighted, and an attempt is made to indicate their links with ideology and policy principles.