Make room for school leavers: Official

**Lyn Kuraiba of University of Goroka handing STAT-P materials to Hope Institute (Tari), staff Prahbavathi and Joy Michael. – Picture supplied**

TERTIARY institutions have been urged to make room for school leavers wanting to further their education.
Chief executive officer for Hope Institute in Hela (Tari-Pori) Henry Rabuka, a Fijian and a lawyer by profession, met University of Goroka (UOG) representatives and aired this concern.
The UOG Stat-P (Special tertiary aptitude test – Pacific) team that was in the province to conduct awareness, was surprised to learn that this new institute while offering all its courses free, was struggling to find space for 80-100 students annually.
“We are doing our best with 11 teachers (including eight Indians) that we have to ensure that the non-school leavers doing upgrade are given space to continue their studies,” Rabuka said.
“There is no future for them after this, no movement, they are bored.
“Prime Minister James Marape wants all districts in the country to set up Fode/Code and technical schools and we are going in that direction.”
Rabuka said the slogan “leave no children behind” was what Hope Institute was doing.
“But these are people who have left the formal school system years ago, there is one guy who is 60-plus-years-old doing grade 11 under the Fode programme,” he said.
“They are eager to learn but after upgrades, they don’t know how to progress and where to go for help.”