Use education to change PNG

Letters

DO we have any coherent plans and strategies to combat tribal fighting and other violent social unrest which are all too common in Papua New Guinea?
I believe education is the greatest tool we can use to solve these issues in our families, societies and the country as a whole.
Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Most of our people lack proper education.
More than 70 per cent of the people still live in rural areas and remain uneducated.
Tribal fighting, law and order problems and other social issues we see, hear and experience are common in places where there is a shortage of basic infrastructure, and poor education standards or facilities, and poor health and policing levels.
Successive governments have neglected rural citizens by focusing on the main centres.
These rural societies need support from the responsible authorities to combat these issues.
The national, provincial, local level governments, non-governmental organisations, businesshouses, international agencies and organisations must support students and educate youths by conducting awareness in rural villages on issues such as warfare, elections, HIV/AIDS, education, global warming, etc.
This will bring some change to the communities and provinces.
Students and youths should be engaged so they can be advocates for social peace and order.
The government should invest more to establish schools, subsidise fees, get more school-age children enrolled and provide more employment opportunities for the growing population.
I know education can play a greater role in the maintenance of peace and order.
Being educated does not mean having a bachelor’s degree; it means being able to do things well and think better than others.
As a member of the educated elite, I know I will not tolerate tribal fighting or other social disorder or support perpetrators in any way.
Education has shaped the way I think and act.
It has made me what I am and given me a brighter future.
We can deploy police and defence personnel to tribal areas to contain fights and social unrest but they will never solve the problem.
But we can change Papua New Guinea through education.

Joe
Madang