Centre catering to dropouts

“PNG is sitting on a time bomb. These dropouts are educated citizens coming to the streets, they will be educated criminals trying to fend for themselves. These are educated trouble makers. We are already seeing that pressure is on our legal system…problems in the villages like stealing in the village gardens and many more.”

By ZACHERY PER
BILL Sehupa Habiri, the founder and executive director of Career Training Institute (CTI) based in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, strives to support the Government to transform school dropouts into well-trained and educated people.
In other words he takes a “nobody” and makes him “somebody.”
Habiri started a private institution to give second chances to Grade 12 students who cannot secure spaces at existing tertiary institutions.
“After 17 years of teaching in high schools, secondary schools and universities in PNG, I have seen many Grade 12 students graduating each year but only a minority of them secure spaces in tertiary institutions to continue,” he said.
Habiri is committed to be the voice for the voiceless and give hope to the hopeless. When he did Grade 12 there were 27,000 Grade 12 students but only 4,000 got places in the country’s tertiary institutions.
“Last year there were 72,000 Grade 12 students but 18,000 secured spaces in tertiary institutions. What about the other 54, 000? The number of Grade 12 students coming out is growing every year, the question is what are we going to do to address this issue?
“PNG is sitting on a time bomb. These dropouts are educated citizens coming to the streets, they will be educated criminals trying to fend for themselves. These are educated trouble makers. We are already seeing that pressure is on our legal system, problems in the villages, stealing in the village gardens and many more,” Habiri said.
He said everyone expectsed the Government to find solutions to every problem facing them but the Government has its own limitations.
“As a citizen I have a responsibility to contribute and help my government to find solutions to these problems.”
In 2017, after returning from studies at the Queens University in England, Habiri converted his farm house at his Zogopise village outside Goroka town into the Career Training Centre which is also a centre for Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE).
He said the institute was committed to educate and chart career pathways for students and were also training everyone in life skills through an up-skilling programme.
“We are happy to help drive integral human development (IHD) to achieve human capital growth as enshrined in the Government’s Vision 2050. At CTI our aim is not profit but to help Papua New Guineans become professionals as this is what career training means,” he said.
The institute currently has sent 17 students who are regarded as dropouts from Grade 12. Last year, as CTI has affiliations with universities around the world, 20 of its best students secured spaces in China and two went to study in the Philippines.
Habiri, a former Chemistry lecturer at the University of Goroka said he has a strong ambition and dream to create a separate university for the Government that can train young citizens to have life skills to achieve Vision 2050 Vision, to have educated and wealthy citizens.
“I gave up my paid employment and returned home to help my brothers and sisters to get a decent education. I am now a poor man smoking brus (tobacco) and drinking Live-Lave (a local liquor brand). I am working hard to change the country. I must change my country to see my government achieve Vision 2010,” he said.
This year CTI has been moved from the muddy Gapaisi area to former Paragon Earthmoving base along the Faniufa section of the Highlands highway. CTI’s full operations will commence in the new location starting this year.
“Students passing out from CTI programmes will have trade certificates (National Certificate One) in any trade as we collaborate with all state institutions and statutory accredited bodies in compliance with national quality frameworks.” Habiri said.
This year under CTI, there is a secondary school component as well as training in medicine, engineering, information technology, education and early childhood development.
The institute has branches in Kundiawa, Chimbu and Karkar Island in Madang.
“At CTI, it is not about money, because our motto is ‘Leave no one behind.” Everybody has the potential to develop. As the scriptures says; ‘Even before you were in mother’s womb, I knew you, I have a plan for you to be prosperous’.”
Habiri said the course fees at CTI “were the lowest anyone can ever find in any PNG institution.”
“I worked with local boys and girls after returning from England’s Queens University doing university studies. I have been to the best pharmacy school and got a job but I must return to my country to help.
“I realised that my country has a vision to achieve. By 2050 the citizens must be wealthy and healthy. I have my contribution, I have the opportunity to be abroad and live top class but I gave that up to return and help my country.”
“At CTI we believe that success comes after many failures, we leave no one behind and that wok mas go yet (the work must go on).”