Human resource vital, says Ipatas

THE Enga provincial government has already invested more than K70 million in human resource development in the province, Governor Peter Ipatas told the 2009 national education conference at the University of Goroka on Wednesday.
“My focus in education goes back to the very first time I took office as governor in 1996.
“I realised that investing in human resource development was a critical pre-requisite for innovation, transformation and development,” Mr Ipatas said.
He said he opened up access for Engan students from elementary schools to the university level and saw himself as the visible advocate for quality education to be delivered; first in his province and then in the nation.
“To achieve this, my Government decided  to upgrade existing and construct new school infrastructures, provide schools with computers, stock libraries with essential books and invest in capital equipment.
“We also facilitated for standard officers and funded teacher professional development programmes,” Mr Ipatas said.
He said 26 primary schools in the province now had fully functional libraries and by the end of 2012, all schools would have fully functional libraries.
He called on the Education Department to deploy well-trained elementary schools teachers to elementary schools throughout the province.
He also wanted to see elementary schools stop teaching in local language, saying if the department was concerned about culture and tradition, they should allocate separate times under the normal timetable.