Education is the key to our success

I MUST say I realised the impor-tance of being educated early on
compared to many of my peers.
If we look at the bigger picture, we are not only competing against ourselves but against the rest of the world.
Other countries are more advanced than us in terms of technology and unless our government wakes up to this fact, we will be left behind.
One of the vital sectors which PNG must concentrate on is education for the people. It is the key to success.
I can still recall back in 2001 at the University of PNG where Enga Governor Peter Ipatas was invited by the Engan Students Society.
I was there with my fellow Engan students when the governor arrived.
At the meeting, I was impressed to hear the governor’s long-term strategies on education for Engans.
His dream was for all Engans to be educated and to dominate the work force.
Today, it is common to see more Engans in our tertiary institutions and many of them are holding top positions in both public and private sectors.
Since taking over as prime minister, Peter O’Neill has set education as one of his priorities and to show he is serious, K649 million has been allocated for education this year.
His free education policy from elementary to Grade 10 and partial subsidy for Grades 11 and 12 must be commended.
This is a commitment the government must make as this investment will pay off in the future.
We must understand that education will take us to the next level and it will have a positive impact in our lives.
Of all the highlands provinces, only Chimbu has no mineral resources.
It has to depend on its human resource.
Therefore, it is important for the provincial government to initiate strategies on education and implement them as soon as possible.
Although Chimbu has coffee and farm produce, its geographical re­moteness has made their transportation  to outside markets very difficult.
Chimbus must employ some creative and productive minds in the provincial government and administration to manage provincial funds effectively and efficiently.
I urge all parents in PNG to ensure their children go to school because education is every child’s right.
Regardless of the circumstances encountered by each family, educating our children must be considered a paramount obligation for the betterment of our future.
Let’s take advantage of the commitment made by our government.

Bonza Gande  
Via email