Human resources development a priority, MP says

 STRENGTHENING human resources is a development priority in Kokopo district and East New Britain, Governor and Kokopo MP Ereman ToBaining Jnr says.

“This is evident in the K1.5 million allocation in the district services impprovement programme funding for tertiary students scholarship scheme that benefitted 825 students from Kokopo district,” he said. ToBaining said beginning next year, the district would sponsor elementary school teachers to further their training.

He said the tertiary scholarship scheme had grown since 2013 when K250,000 was allocated, K1 million in 2014 and K1.5 million this year.

“I believe this is a relief for many parents and we will continue the same next year,” he said.

He said the establishment of the new Bitapaka High School at Makurapau in the Bitapaka local level government would ease the burden on the growing intake of students at Kokopo Secondary School.

The Kokopo district administration has allocated K500,000 for the first phase of  the work to begin. ToBaining said under the PSIP funds, K1 million had been budgeted to build new infrastructure at Warangoi High School in Pomio.

He said discussions were ongoing on turning Kokopo Business College into a polytechnic institute to accommodate students and ease the burden on airfares for parents.