High hopes for B’ville education

 AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government (ABG) hopes to achieve 50% access to secondary education in the next five years compared to the current rate of 33%.

Chief executive officer for education Bruno Babato revealed this yesterday when giving an update on the ABG secondary school expansion programme for 2013.

“To further improve access at the secondary level, better planning is essential in the districts. 

“And from 2014, all 12 lower and upper secondary schools will increase enrolments by one additional class each, so that over the next five years, the government achieves 50% access to secondary education,” he said.

Babato said that according to statistics, enrolments in lower and upper secondary schools increased by 39% between 2007 and 2011.

He said in 2011, the enrolment was 4,719 compared to 2,878 in 2007. 

“In addition, when two new high schools – Haku High School and Koromira Technical High School – are fully developed, further increases will also be made in line with the expansion plan.”

Babato added when Tinputz High School, Kunua High School and Aropa High School start operating in the next five years, ABG would its achieve its 50% access rate to secondary education.

“Other plans in the next five years include St. Mary’s High School to become the first all-girls secondary school.

“Also, Arawa Secondary School and Haku High School, which are day schools, will become boarding institutions. 

“Again and this will further increase access to secondary education,” Babato said.