Govt needs to protect rights of all children

I REFER to Yologia K Bobeng’s letter that more students mean more jobs needed to be created (The National, March 19).
While I agree that more jobs would be needed, I do believe that some of the points raised were not rational.
One was “the increase in student enrolment causes many attitude problems such as cult worship or misbehaviour”.
This is not logical in relation
to free education because beha­viour problems in school can be contained if the school’s policy
is effectively enforced.
There is no basis that more studen­ts enrolled because of free edu­cation would be more noto­rious than those enrolled before this policy was introduced.
Free education is meant to address the disparity between the rich and the poor as education has become a privilege for the former.
According to the 2002 national curriculum statement, everyone has the right to be educated.
If we go against this policy,
we are denying children their right to education.
Several points raised were contradictory and shallow as the writer has taken from the school administration’s point of view.
The paid education system in PNG posed many cross-cutting issues such as gender inequality where fewer females went to school.
The government has a role to play in upholding and protecting the rights of all PNG children.

Tony Yakina Ambai
Madang