Education for girls a problem
By ALISON ANIS
ACCESS to basic formal education by girls has been identified as a problem in Melanesia than in Polynesia and Micronesia.
Regional director for Commonwealth youth programme Afu Billy said according to a UN report, 40% of children, mostly girls, in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu never actually enrolled in a primary school.
This is compared to 6% in Polynesia and 16% in Micronesia.
“In Melanesia, only 24% of girls who were able to attend sparsely located primary schools, have the opportunity to enter secondary schools, compared to 55% in Polynesia and 43% in Micronesia,” she said.
Billy was addressing journalists from commonwealth states in the Pacific at a five-day workshop on development journalism in Honiara, Solomon Island, last week.
The workshop was organised by the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) and the Commonwealth Foundation (CF) with the theme “Preparing for Change: Supporting Development Journalism and Social Responsibility in the Pacific”.
Billy said girls in Vanuatu were less likely to finish schooling or continue to secondary and tertiary institutions.
“The traditional belief that girls should stay at home and assist their mothers in domestic duties is one reason for low female enrolments.”
In the Solomon Islands, gross enrollment for boys were higher than girls, except in two provinces, because there were more facilities for boys.
“Governments in Melanesia are closing the gender gap in girls and boys enrolment, especially at secondary levels.
“However, policy makers themselves also face barriers to effectively address these issues,” Billy said.
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