Free education policy encouraging quantity instead of quality

SINCE the introduction of free education policy, I have noted that the Government has not done much in evaluating the success and failure of the policy.
As a result, corrective measures have not been taken on the area that requires improvement.
Overall, it is a waste of time, human and financial resources if there are no clear long term strategic objectives apart from fee education for all Papua New Guineans.
I have noted that the system has encouraged for quantity instead of quality. The teacher ratio to student on average is 1:50. While some students have desks others are sitting on the classroom floor.
Teachers are stressed by the work load and limited teaching resources and may not be able to give their best. Besides most teachers do not have accommodation and cannot prepare their lessons well.
A lot is left to desire for the students who get pushed out of the bottleneck system. In the end the elusive hope given by the free education policy is employment and good life.
The most fundamental question should be, “Is the free education policy worth investing in or should we take a different approach”.
I wish to offer few suggestions.
The Government should reconsider its option by putting in the basic infrastructure to cater for the influx of students before introducing the free education policy.
The Government should also look into building more technical collages including collages for agricultural fisheries, forestry, create arts, hospitality and tourism and others similar vocational and technical institutions whilst at the same time creating markets for these industries.
At an early stages student’s potentials should be identified. The students who are unable to proceed to higher level of education should automatically be put into vocational and technical institutions.
The students from vocational and technical institutions should then be supported by the Government to secure work placements in our resources sectors and industries.
Those who wish to start up their own business should be supported with tools or financial assistance and further technical training in basic accounting and bookkeeping.
Likewise, more colleges and universities need to be built to accommodate for high number of Grade 12 leavers.
Moreover, new courses need to be developed to meet the country’s emerging needs rather than offering the outdated courses.
The Government should consider putting in scholarship programmes for top students at a Grade 10 to Grade 12 level and beyond.
In the end the Government sponsored students should be sent to overseas universities to take on courses that address the development needs of the country.
Additionally, there are other opportunities where the Government can initiate for sponsorship programmes with the diplomatic groups, extractive industries and the Governments owned enteritis.
Students should be offered the opportunities to work abroad for few years to acquire experiences that can be brought back into the country.
The Government should have a student database system possibly within the Education Department and employment database system within the Department of Industrial Relations Labour and Employment to assess the outcome of its free education policy. It should have a matrix to measure its success in achieving long term objectives.

The Analyst
Port Moresby