CTI leaves no one behind

By ZACHERY PER
SINCE the introduction of free education in the country in 2012, many more young people have had the opportunity to attend school. This led to a higher number of students leaving grades 10 and 12. And of course, some students continue on in the scheme of things, while other drop out. Many of those who leave the formal education system at these stages don’t want to stop there and seek alternate ways to further their knowledge. They find themselves at educational institutions that help them better their grades, or alternatively in technical institutions which provide them life-long skills.
This has meant also that more and more centers offering courses to school leavers are popping up.
One such institution that is helping give school leavers a second chance is the newly founded Goroka Career Training Institute (CTI) based in Goroka, Eastern Highlands.
Founder Bill Habiri said the Institute is committed to educating and developing career pathways for students that enroll there.
“We are willing to train anyone to develop career pathways in life skills training and in our up-skilling program.
“We are happy to help drive Integral Human Development (IHD) to achieve the empowerment of human capital growth as enshrined in the Vision 2050.
“At CTI our aim is not profit but to help Papua New Guineans,” Habiri said.
He said PNG rates among the least developed countries in the world with a low literacy rate compounded with poverty and unemployment, with the number of school dropouts rising annually.
“Every year approximately 29,000 students complete grade 12 with only 9,000 absorbed into tertiary institutions around the country while the remaining 20,000 have nowhere to go,” he said.
Additionally, he said, thousands of students drop out of grade eight and grade 10 each year.
Habiri said the provision of educational opportunities to all citizens is central to Papua New Guinea’s development, poverty alleviation, and social empowerment and transformation strategies. Various educational programmes and policies including the Universal Primary Education, the Universal Secondary Education, and the Literacy and Livelihoods Training Program (LLTP, a component of the National Poverty Eradication Action Plan – PEAP) have been instituted in recent years.
He said although beset by severe challenges such as the lack of resources and sustained political will, these programs have had immense positive educational impact.
“The Secondary School system hardly provides learners with adequate vocational skills training opportunities, thereforemost youth – particularly those living in marginalized rural and urban-slum communities are forced either to drop-out or to graduate from a school system lacking the practical skills necessary for securing viable employment and livelihoods.
In light of this and in an effort to create viable learning and livelihood opportunities for vulnerable youth, Career Training Institute (CTI), a basic life skills training agency is initiated to providing the Non-Formal Education and Livelihood Skills Training Program (NFELSTP).
“We are also providing participants with life skills training with particular focus on health issues including HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, nutrition, child-rearing, peer-counseling, drug and alcohol (substance) abuse.
“The Literacy and Livelihood Skills Training Program (LLSTP) is an integrated vocational/livelihood and life skills training program which primarily endeavors to empower socio-economically marginalized and vulnerable youth and, by extension, their equally disadvantaged families and communities,” Habiri said.
CTI also provides Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE) through its subsidiary Career FODE Center (CFC) to provide second chances for school dropouts to be able to achieve tertiary level of education.
“It therefore compliments the National Government’s Food Security, Poverty Alleviation, Export Driven Economy and Down Stream Processing Policies, as per the Medium Term Development Strategy. The project is consistent with the objective of the Five Year District Development and it is in line with the National Government vision 2050 to create a wealthy healthy prosperous nation. Finally, it supports the UN education declaration on human resource development. Proper education is essential for human survival.”
CTI graduated 40 students last year from FODE. Thirty secured placing in other tertiary institutions including universities, according to Habiri.
Last week, a group of students from Karkar Island in Madang fronted up at CTI in Goroka, in search of quality secondary school education.
They were led by their local Church elder Pastor Gideon Makakam who said, “Education is very important in life, so we sacrificed to bring these students to give them an opportunity to continue their education,” he said.
They had learnt about Goroka
“We are finally here and will ensure all the students we are enrolled and registered to do their studies before we head back,” he said.
Ps Makakam said they will invite the Director of Goroka CTI Bill Habiri and his wife and Manageress Jamila Yurus Habiri to Karkar Island where they will establish another branch of Goroka CTI.
“When the school is established on Karkar Island, it will create a second option for grade 8 and 12 dropouts to further their education.”
Bill Habiri thanked the students who braved the elements to reach Goroka.
In welcoming his new charges to CTI, Habiri said theycharge low rates but work hard to make sure no-one fails.
“Our school motto states, ‘success comes after many failures, leave no one behind.”’