Teach English or miss out on funds: Abal

ELEMENTARY schools in Enga’s Wabag district that persist on teaching in the local vernacular will miss out on the Governments’ funding.
Wabag Open MP and Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal issued the warning last Friday in Birip Primary School at the launch of his district education policy.
Mr Abal told a big crowd comprising of parents, students, teachers and the public that he wanted all elementary schools in his district to teach students in English and write in English.
“Teaching in the local dialect in elementary schools over the past years has spoilt the education of students and this must not continue in this electorate.
“Any elementary school in my electorate found teaching in the local dialect will miss out from my funding,” he warned.
Mr Abal said education policies were made by the people and could be broken and changed to suit student’s development.
He said the current education system where vernacular were taught in elementary school was not working properly and a set back to the education of students.
“Students in elementary schools in my district must read and write in English alone and not any other languages.
“Times are changing and the people are living in a modern world and not in the past.
“I am not going against the overall education policy, but I want some changes in my electorate.
“The way things are going now is not right,” Mr Abal added.
He said under his district education policy, he would provide more training for elementary school teachers and build classrooms.