Envoy: Study online

 PAPUA New Guineans can obtain higher education qualifications online from prestigious American institutions for free, United States ambassador Walter North says.

He recently held talks at the Institute of Public Administration with acting director Yala Yatu and his management team.

“It is so unfortunate for PNG to have poor accessibility,” he said.

“And the high cost of internet is really a nightmare.” North said countries smaller than PNG like Singapore and Malaysia, had better accessibility to internet at affordable rates.

He said the people were kept in the loop of what was going on around them. 

Internet plays a pivotal role in the development of these countries in every aspects of life, North said.

Harvard University and other prestigious American universities offered free online courses that could bridge into degree and masters programmes. 

North said PNG, through online learning, could produce better qualified intellectuals.

He said the country was blessed with an abundant supply of resources but lacked the knowledge to use and manage these resources effectively.

Yatu asked North if the US government would help sponsor some of his academic staff for further studies.

North said the US had in place many scholarship programmes to which PNG citizens could apply.

Yatu said the IPA planned to partner with the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. North is a former student.

“Unfortunately, the government is not fully funding this institution and we cannot do much,’’ Yatu said.