Call to look at people who deserve it most

 Flexible, open distance education (FODE) must move away from its initial focus of uneducated youths in disadvantage communities, deputy secretary for Department of Education, Eliakim Apelis says.
Apelis said the alarming increase in the number of uneducated and unemployed youths in the  country was a time bomb.
He said FODE education must move from its initial focus and look at people who deserve it most.
He said out of the 100 that enrolled into elementary classes, only three or less could make it to higher institutions.
“But what happens to the other 97? That’s the group that we must pour our resources into as at the moment our resources are going the wrong way where 10% of our resources are going to 90% of our children.  So we need to refocus on policies.
“Let’s target the remotest part of this country and give them a chance as 85% of our children and the population are out there,” he said.
He said FODE must relook at its focus on whether it would educate the already advantaged community or the 85% population in the rural area.
“If you calculate the number of youths that are roaming the streets of Port Moresby after leaving school with nothing to do and combine it with those in other provinces, it’s a frightening scenario.”