Quality in all education

 AT the outset, allow me to congratulate the Grade 10 and 12 classes of 2015.  This is your moment and I would like you to enjoy every moment of this joyous occasion.   

Some 34 years ago, I went through a similar graduation procession at Malabunga in the presence of many people – which included my late parents.  

I am proud that this school served as my foundation and a springboard that propelled me to achieve higher things.  

I have been asked to make some general remarks on the theme “Quality in All for Standards in Education”.

I take this to mean that all stakeholders must strive to acquire quality in all phases of education.  

This requires proper government planning and funding from the front, the balancing acts of effective and efficient use of resources, and the optimum utilisation of available manpower.  

But beyond the grand activities, it really boils down to what the students take away from classrooms.  

And that is often manifested through the end products such as you graduating Grade 10 and Grade 12 students.  

Quality education as a policy issue starts with ideas.  

The PNG Vision 2050 is an overarching framework that was designed by a group of prominent nationals a few years ago under the chairmanship of one ex-Malabunga, Professor David Kavanamur. 

It is to guide and convert government thinking into policy conception and planning.  

One of the targeted areas is education. 

The visionary O’Neill-Dion Government has taken up the challenge in improving education and widening opportunities through strategic policies such as the fee-free education policy.  

The challenge for PNG – just like any other country – is how each government inculcates education into policies, programs and practices of each country.  

In PNG, we have sound programmes, aptly qualified teachers and administrators.  

Very often it is in the area of implementation that we let down our students and ourselves.     

In a perfect world, it would be widely appreciated if opportunities to acquire adequate education were guaranteed for everyone.  

The fact is barriers to adequate education do exist today.  

They could be related to lack of finances for school fees, or restrictions relating to cultural or customary practices.  

Then there are other reasons that emanate from circumstances, such as tribal fights.  

At times, there are issues with the way the Government distributes funding or how government policies are formulated. I am making such general remarks because I would like to place in context some of the issues that we are grappling within the ENB province.  

Having had the privilege of visiting some of the countries of similar status to PNG, particularly in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, I would say that we have been blessed with abundant resources.  

With bountiful resources, there should be abundant opportunities – but that is not readily apparent in our country today.  

Logical reasoning and moral conscience may allow us to recognise general principles such as the need to share the benefits of resources or to sacrifice personal gains for the good of everyone.  

The Good Book gives us good illustrations such as the parable of ‘The Good Samaritan’.  

But at a time when the gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is widening, who exactly in PNG is the Good Samaritan?  

It is sad that it is mainly the educated elite in PNG who are leading the pillage of the state resources.  

Are we doing all we can to assist our education institutions as well as bringing the best out of our students?  

To the teachers of Malabunga Secondary School, where are we in terms of our responsibilities and ‘duty of care’ to the young students that pass through this proud school?  

To the governing board of the school, do we have a realistic vision for the school that can be used to expand our horizons beyond the mere running of the school?  

To the parents and guardians, is Malabunga just another school that our children grow into, or do you see it as a genuine extension of your households that demands your wholehearted support?  

To government representatives, are there options that can be considered to further promote education in ENB? 

And to you, the outgoing Grade 10 and 12 students, what do you aspire to be after leaving school?     

We must and should be realistic with our expectations.  

There are certain trends at the national level that should be of concern to us at least in the foreseeable future, of which three are as follow.  

First, more students are moving to higher learning institutions.  

Where exactly do we want our ENB students to be when there are not even enough places in the next level of schools, including universities?  

Second, where exactly do we expect our young ENB students to be in a few years time when there are not even enough job opportunities to go around?  

Third, how can the government and society accommodate the less fortunate members of these generations of students?  

Generally, these a policy issues for the national government to address.  

At the provincial level, we should start thinking strategically and consider ways on how our own students can be accommodated back home while allowing them to be useful and resourceful members of our communities.  

Can our leaders and communities work together to grow the provincial economy to widen the safety net for everyone?  

I conclude with a specific message for the outgoing Grade 10 and 12 students.  

Many of those who raised and have enabled you to reach this level of education are here today.

But, upon closer look, your respective communities actually brought you up.  

It is with that in mind that as you graduate from here, and whether you continue or leave Malabunga, never forget that communities invested in you and therefore it is only fair that you should see how you can give back to communities where assistance is needed. 

Once more, congratulations to all Grade 10 and 12 students for your achievements.  Thank you for your attention.

• Dr. Okole is a freelance consultant based in Port Moresby.  He previously taught at UPNG and was a senior research fellow at the National Research Institute.  He served also at one point as the Chief of Staff to Sir John Kaputin in Brussels when the senior statesman was the Secretary-General of the 79-member ACP Group of States (2005-2010). The views and opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this paper.