MP eyes ideals of robust high education

 By DIANNE WAKETSI 

OUTGOING Higher Education Minister David Arore has advised his successor Delilah Gore to push for more changes in  the ministry.

He handed over the portfolio in a ceremony in Port Moresby, saying the growth and expansion of the high education sector to ensure quality education for all is more important than playing petty politics.

He assured Gore that he would always be available to help her.

Ijivitari MP Arore was one of the changes made by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill in a Cabinet reshuffle last week.

He said higher education was a large sector which had been largely ignored.

“I challenge Gore not to be an impediment to the system but a catalyst for change,” Arore said.

Gore said: “I envisage the ideals of a growing, stronger, robust high education sector that offers opportunities for our children and citizens alike to develop a sound intellectual capacity that would play a key role in harnessing development challenges of this country.

“In the next 10 to 20 years, the higher education sector will be built on key fundamental principles of value and respect for knowledge that will build a stronger foundation for a wealthy and prosperous society for all as enshrined in our constitution and the Vision 2050.

“Vision 2050 wisely places human capital development as the first of seven pillars. I look forward to working with the research, science and technology sector to promote partnerships for research and innovations relevant to our economic developments.”

Her priorities will be:

• To implement a Cabinet decision for an additional 5,000 Tesas scholarships with increased Government contribution;
• additional scholarships to support quality technical and vocational education and training;
• develop the new Western Pacific University to address immediate capacity constraints in universities;
• The rollout of the national open university in all provinces; and,
• An expansion of new institutes to serve the 89 districts.