Sinebare: Sex, booze destroying students

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
SEX, booze and peer group pressure in our schools have destroyed young people in their prime, Education Secretary Dr Musawe Sinebare says.
He said the Education department plans to hire counsellors in education institutions to deal with such student problems.
He said stakeholders must collaborate to curb these social diseases so rampant in schools.
Sinebare said while the Education Department was striving for academic excellence, “these ongoing activities at educational institutions have already destroyed young people”.
He said the national education board passed a resolution during a meeting this month in Port Moresby to create paid positions for school counsellors in all technical, vocational and education training centres and secondary institutions.
He said the counsellors would work full time to counsel students daily.
Sinebare said this was one way the Education Department was addressing the problems in schools.
He said one problem in the Highlands was that boys were preferred over girls.
But, he said, the National Department of Education’s policy on gender discouraged such practices.
He said all children must be given equal opportunity in education so all could prosper.
Sinebare said his department recognised the abilities of disabled children.
He said within their capacities, they would provide opportunities for people living with disabilities to excel.
He said he had warned his officers working in headquarter to look after the salaries’ of teachers and not to accept bribes to process their entitlements.
He said any officer demanding any form of reward for processing teachers’ claims or doing other work for the teachers or school
He said teachers were very important and played vital roles in schools.