Parents should be responsible for their children, says minister

National

A CABINET minister says addressing the issue of street children selling and begging in Port Moresby is complex, but they should be in school because education is free.
Minister for Community Development, Youth and Religion Soroi Eoe told The National that parents should be responsible for their children.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, the architect of free education, had said the intention of the policy
was to get every child in the classroom.
“Children have no excuse, they should be in school, school fees are already paid by the government, but then it is the issue of survival,” Eoe said.
“I guess it is because of the situation they find themselves in, therefore they try to escape from schools, they try to support themselves, it is a complex issue, I cannot give any single answer for this type of situation.
“Some of them are genuine, those coming from broken homes, for example, or single parent’s homes and lots of families are back in economic terms in terms of trying to survive in Port Moresby.
“Even if we address one question, it raises other questions, whether they are satisfied with what we are doing.
“The only solution is to provide children the educational opportunity so that they can find a place in society where their parents have never had the opportunity.
“But that comes back to the parents to take responsibility and do what they can to assist this kid to find education opportunities so that they can help themselves.
“The time is now, when children are young. You need to introduce them to this kind of investment where the future is guaranteed.”