The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a relationship between the quality of lesson planning and its successful implementation. A longitudinal study, it was conducted over semester two 2004 to semester one 2006, involving 309 pre-service students in a physical education class. It is also a correlational study in that it attempts to establish if there is nexus between two variables. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS v.17) was used to analyse data in which the Pearson Correlation and Regression Analysis were conducted. It was found that there is a positive relationship between the quality of lesson planning and the quality of delivery. This substantiates the important place lesson planning should have in teacher education, considering it as a crucial area of prospective teachers' professional development. Quality lesson planning will, however, not necessarily mean automatic translation into successful implementation, making it imperative that teacher education provides support to student teachers to make informed transition from a lesson plan to its delivery.

The Government of Solomon Islands is committed to the achievement of 'Education For All' through its various education reform programmes. Central to the Government's education sector reform is the provision of quality education, which is an important tool to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, particularly the education sector goals of universal completion of basic education in primary and secondary education by 2015. To achieve these goals, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development has listed technical and vocational education as one of the three key areas in its Education Strategic Framework. The Framework stresses that in order for Solomon Islands to achieve the 'Education For All' goal, it should improve the quality of learning to enhance student achievement in all areas and forms of education. It is against this policy framework that this article sets to examine the quality of practical learning in the secondary school technical and vocational education curriculum. The focus question that guides the discussion is: "how is Solomon Islands resourcing and promoting quality practical learning in its secondary school technical and vocational education curriculum?" The article concludes that the delivery of quality practical learning in the secondary school technical and vocational education curriculum is hampered by a number of factors, important amongst them being the shortage of suitable qualified teachers, the dominance of academic education and lack of learning resources, tools and equipment. As the deadline for the achievement of the 'Education For All' is drawing near, it is critically important for the Government to put in place a policy intervention to address the key impediments to quality practical learning in the secondary school technical and vocational education curriculum.