Educated elites our assets

THE new government must recognise highly educated Papua New Guineans and education as assets and a commodity of its own.
Papua New Guinea can now pride herself of having a more educated population than ever before.
The prophecy of the founding father late Great Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare is obviously fulfilling.
Sir Michael’s prophesy that “the people who will run the affairs of the new nation are in the mother’s womb”.
It is three years away for Papua New Guinea to celebrate 50 years golden jubilee and the highly educated Papua New Guineans have been overlooked over the years.
The highly educated Papua New Guineans have left the country to seek better employment overseas as other countries’ salary is much higher.
Has the government, both current and previous, done something to hold back educated elites before the “brain drain” to other countries?
That’s something to contemplate about, especially political parties that are vying for government formation.
This nation needs skilled people in varieties fields to run the nation.
The parliament is not a place for the illiterate or semi-literate.
If you look at India, most of the employed people in private or public sectors are PhD holders.
Some have dual degrees and masters qualification.
Even the shop keepers or cleaners are university graduates.
This is because the government’s salary for the Indian employed people is good.
PNG does not have an approach to hold back every highly educated people.
This people are an asset to the country. The new government with the prime minister and its cabinet of ministers in waiting must increase the salary of people who achieved highest education in any academic field. There are countless of people who attain highest qualifications and are humble working as academics in institutions or other sectors in the country and abroad.
Educated people deserves getting good yearly salary.
The government can also market our highly educated people to other countries.
Countries can rent our educated people by paying the government.
The new government must think seriously on this issue.

Justin Max