Alotau Accord II weakness found

National

THE Government’s Alotau Accord II does not have any provision for higher education but places more emphasis on lower education, the governing council of the University of Goroka (UOG) says.
“We at council and management of UOG welcomed the accord, especially the preamble of the accord that received its cue from the National Goals and Directive Principles as stipulated in the constitution,” the university’s chancellor, Joseph Sukwianomb, said after the university council and management had  studied the accord. “We also believe in integral human development, equality and participation, national sovereignty and self reliance, national resources and environment and PNG ways as these are keys to our common prosperity.”
Sukwianomb said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has purposely included reference to the PNG Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Responsible Sustainable Development in the accord.
“One of the principal pillars of the Vision 2050 is human capital development, people empowerment, women and youth,” Sukwianomb said.
“Sadly the accord does not make any mention of what it will do in a very important sector, the higher technical and vocational education (Tvet) training.
“Additionally education training and resourcing in research, science and technology have not been captured in the accord.
“The Vision 2050 directed annual national government budgets and allocation of 25 per cent to education, both lower and higher education sectors, and five per cent to research and development.  These have ,however, not been forth coming since 2010.”