CJ urges equal access to education

BOYS and girls having equal access to schools will produce stronger families, communities and country, Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika says.
His speech was read by Justice Dr Vergil Narokobi during the opening of the annual senior education officers’ conference in Kiunga, Western, on Monday.
Justice Narokobi also conveyed the chief justice’s apologies for his non-attendance as he had prior a commitment overseas.
In the speech, Sir Gibbs talked about the challenges he had faced during his formative years at the Kodoro Primary School in South Fly which had prompted him to leave his home and family for a better education elsewhere.
He also noted that education was a lifelong process.
Sir Gibbs urged the education officials to focus on being creative to provide a learning environment that developed a student’s potential.
He said in order to do this, they (teachers and education officials) needed to find ways to break down barriers that hindered the provision of equal opportunities for all students in Papua New Guinea.
He said despite challenges faced by students in terms of what part of society they were from or if they had disabilities, it was the responsibility of education authorities and stakeholders to “find lasting solutions that ensure that everyone in Papua New Guinea has access to quality education”.
Sir Gibbs also mentioned that policy development and implementation was only good as the people who were working to pursue these aims and objectives.
Education secretary Dr Uke Kombra urged all partners and stakeholders in education to support the Ministry of Education in implementing the National Education Plan 2020-2029.
“The implementation of the national education plan is the focal point of the ministry since 2020 and going forward,” he said.