Samuel gets people to focus on education – during Xmas

By ROSELYN ELLISON
PEOPLE of Vunagogo in Gazelle-Central, East New Britain were thinking more about the education of their children during Christmas – thanks to civil servant Samuel Vaulai who convinced them to do something different this year.
“After my education journey and exposure, and seeing much lawlessness in our communities, I believe that education is the key to reducing social problems.”
Samuel, 37, from Vunagogo and a projects manager with the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST), suggested to his people that instead of celebrating and partying, they should start a Grade 12 students’ assistance scheme.
The aim is to assist Grade 12 students not selected for tertiary institutions to upgrade their marks and then further their education.
He is the eldest in the family of four whose father is a pastor of the Association of Local Churches. He attended the Vunakanau Primary School from 1995 to 2002, St Mary’s Vuvu Secondary School from 2003 to 2004 and Malabanga Secondary in 2006 where he completed Grade 12. He upgraded his Grade 12 marks in Physics and Chemistry at the University of PNG Kokopo Open campus then studied Economics at the Port Moresby Institute of Matriculation Studies in 2007 and 2008. His aim was to take up the newly introduced Strategic Management course at UPNG.
In 2009, he began his four-year Bachelor in Strategic Management programme at UPNG.

“ After my education journey and exposure, and seeing much lawlessness in our communities, I believe that education is the key to minimise social problems.”

“What fascinated me about this course was the notion that it will enable graduates to become executives, leaders in organisations.”
After graduating from UPNG in 2013, he was offered a job at the Office of the Higher Education in the Technical Vocational Education Training and Projects section.
In 2018 he was granted leave to pursue a Masters’ programme at the University of Science and Technology Beijing in China during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
“I graduated and was one of the five international students with high academic performance from that university. I graduated with a Masters in Science and Enterprise Management in 2020.”
He joined DHERST when he returned home. This year, he decided to set up a pathway for Grade 12 dropouts to upgrade their marks and continue to tertiary institutions or find jobs. He began at his Vunagogo ward and then to Takekel and Tinganagalip. He hopes to roll it out into other wards.
In the three wards, there are 28 Grade 12 students waiting to be selected to tertiary institution. The programme is also to teach parents to save money while their children are upgrading their marks.
The programme is incorporated into an association which will be registered with the Investment Promotion Authority. Then a bank account will be opened where parents can deposit their savings into. A working committee has been formed to manage the account.
He reminded the students to use this opportunity to progress by focusing on their attitude and discipline.
“In life, nothing comes easy. In education, we have to sweat and work hard to reach our destination. I want to encourage you not to feel down or hopeless because at the end of the tunnel there is a light. I want you all to put you heads up and focus on your studies whether it’s through matriculation or other short courses.”
Samuel knows what he is talking about. He has been through it all.