Education is Key to Success

(Warakamb, (Winja) Primary school - will have first grade 8 graduation this year 2009

A good year for Education (from post courier's Weekender)

NEW Minister for Education James Marabe was not expecting a full house when he asked journalists to a news conference to discuss school fees for
this year.
But when he had come to terms with the media attention for his first major news conference, he apologised for a slight delay in the timing.
Midway through Mr Marabe’s introductory statement, he said: “I want to be comfortable in my new role knowing that when a youngster fronts up to the
school on the start of a long learning process the lack of school fees should not be used as the reason to turn a child away from the doorsteps
of a classroom.”
School fees have been the stumbling block between those who receive formal education and those who miss out.
But this minister is passionate about making sure Papua New Guineans from the coast to the mountains can get a basic education.
“The education reform that ensures a new direction for our system and one which will enable us to take it to the next level has been in operation
and those who started with the reforms will be in Grade 9 this year,” he said.
Mr Marabe said he is looking forward to receiving a formal feedback from the department on the workings of the reform since its introduction and to
know that students who started out under the new system have reached such a level. A young friend of mine, Bernard Peter, was toying with a car he
was given by Santa at Christmas next to mum’s fast food stall at Waigani when we met up with him.
He is seven and last year got over his first hurdle of attending elementary before he could formally begin his education this year in Grade 1.
Bernard is from Sori Island in Manus and wants to fly airplanes when he completes his education which is at the moment, quite a distance from his
school room at Saint Peters Chanel Erima.
This year, Bernard’s parents will pay K100 for his education and that is the new fee for elementary to year 2 throughout the country.
This is an increase of K10 from last year.
But if his mother arrives with him at the school with only K20 in her purse, the Minister says schools have received instructions not to demand
full payment during enrolment.
“They can pay by instalments,” the minister said. The Education Department has seen a steady increase in the number of new enrolments each year of
about 5.2 per cent.
While the Minister is making sure no child is turned away, the department as a whole must also address the question of space availability in
schools to take in a large number of first timers.
Project fees are charged by the various boards of management for any expansion of facilities in school to cater for the growing number of students
in the school.
But the minister has now charged that any extra feel the school management wishes to impose on parents must be justified and his approval sought.
“There will be no extra burden on the parents but again the parents and the community need to take ownership of their school and assist the school
in whatever way they can,” he said.
Grade 3 to grade 8 fees for the entire year are K250 while 9, 10 and vocational school students will pay K1200.
This year looks to be a good year for education and come February 2, many a toddler like Bernard Peter will start to learn that mum is not “mums”
and Dad is hardly “paps” and the correct way to address his brother is not “brats.” And of course, one plus one equals two and ABC can also mean to
“Always Be Courteous” to others.
NB. MP James Marabe is an Adventist. He should do a good job in his ministry. He is also a son of Warakamb in some ways as his uncle's (liklik papa - Pr. Thomas Makape) wife is from Warakamb. Could he do something for Warakamb?