Travelling education’s long road

By PISAI GUMAR
THE number of school leavers, as well as the number of people seeking jobs seems to be increasing every year. For those who have dropped out of school, many are still determined to continue their studies at private institutions. In order for them to keep their dreams of a good education, and a good job alive, their parents and guardians work hard to ensure
that they move to the next educational institution.
Last month a large crowd of 1040 school leavers from Northern endured dangerous sea travel in dangerous weather in a fourdaytrip to Lae in pursuit of their dream to make it through life.
They were heading for technical training at the Highlands youths training & rehabilitation (Hytarc) in Banz, Jiwaka.
Hailing from various villages in Tufi, Safia, Kokoda, Gona and Popondetta Town in Sohe and Ijivitari districts, they were unable to further their studies due to limited spaces in technical colleges and tertiary institutions back inPopondetta.
In a desperate bid to make something for themselves, the young men and women, with the help of their families, opted to travel away from home to a new place to study.
Rain and huge waves were their companions for most of their trip, they courageously soldiered on in five 75hp dinghies that that been hired to take them totheir newfound land of milk and honey.
Leaving Popondetta on Feb 2, they travelled along the coast, spending nights at Morobe Post and Salamaua Point before docking at Aigris market in Lae on Tuesday, Feb 6.
Glad to be on terra firma,the students unpacked their drenched bags to dry their clothes, and school certificates in the sun.
Their departure from Oro Bay was not without criticism. They were accused of being a cargo cult movement by their local leaders as well as public servants.
Hytarc director Michael Goro and wife Anna were on hand at the beachside in Lae to welcome the students, where they then organized vehicles to take them up the Highlands Highway to Banz on another seven hour ride.
Anna welcomed the students in Jiwaka fashion and expressed to the newcomers that she and her husband Michael would be their parents during their one year at Hytarc.
“Yupla nau kamap pikinini man na meri blo mi nau, wok blo mi em lo kukim kaikai na fidim yupla taim yumi igo lo skul (you are now my sons and daughters. I will be cooking and taking care of you when we go to school)” Anna said through tears.
Hytarc was established in 2008 and has trained more than 10,000 school leavers and youths over the past 10 years, people who might have been aimlessly roaming the streets after dropping out of primary and secondary education.
“Instead, Hytarc shaped and inspired many school leavers, youths, men and women both single and married from nobody to somebody with positive thoughts who are currently contributing productively to the growth of the our country,” Goro pointed out.
The group of 1040 male and female students from Sohe and Ijivitari were the first largest enrolment ever from one province at any given time, and with students enrolling at Hytarc from as far as Bougainville, East and West New Britain, Central and Mamose provinces.
“For Northern students, most were self sponsored but we believe our ambitious Northern Governor Garry Juffa and MP’s Richard Masere (Ijivitari) and Henry Amuli (Sohe) will invest in these future human resources.” Goro said.
Hytarc offers certificate and diploma courses in accounting, business, office and human resource management, information technology, sales and marketing, tourism and hospitality, computing, government studies, certificate in childhood and modern public management.
There are certificates and diploma trade courses also in diesel heavy equipment fitting, motor mechanic, electrical and auto electrical, carpentry and building construction, drafting building design, welding and metal fabrication.
In Morobe, Waterais-Ramu landowner oil palm association chairman Steven Muriab from Wankun village revealed that 70 school leavers in the area were enrolled at Hytarcunder the Ramu Agri-Industries Ltd (RAIL) Asples scholarship scheme, pointing to the establishment of palm oil project in Waterais as well as the upcoming Ramu II hydro project as demanding a larger local workforce.
“Hytarc has a track record of not only training the students but also ensuring that students are employed with various organizations and institutions,” Muriab said.