Prime Minister James Marape has challenged the DHERST to achieve its plans to create more spaces in the tertiary institutions in the country to cater for growing number of students.

PRIME MINISTER MARAPE CHALLENGES HIGHER EDUCATION TO DELIVER - DHREST

January 25, 2022 Prime Minister James Marape has challenged the Department of Higher Education, Research Science and Technology (DHERST) to achieve its plans to create more spaces in the tertiary institutions in the country to cater for growing number of students. He said tertiary spaces had been increased from 12,000 to 15,000 but that was not enough as children are being born every year and the population keeps increasing. Mr Marape challenged the DHERST acting secretary, Dr Francis Hualupmomi to work closely with the existing tertiary institution in the country and devise a way forward to ensure up to 30,000 spaces are secured in the coming years. “As I talk about creating space, the government must also match up with the funding in ensuring this happens,” he said on Friday during the launch of the National Higher and Technical Education Plan 2021-2030 by DHREST. “I ask the higher education sector, I have already given a target benchmark for 10,000 spaces in the next 10 years. In light of this program, let’s make 30,000 spaces in the first instance.” Mr Marape said if the 40 public and church run higher education institutions in the country were to provide spacing for 500 students every year, without compromising standards, that would create another 20,000 spaces. “This could be the solution right there. We don’t have to invent a way or build new schools. “First thing first, work with the current higher school administrators on how best spaces can be created to cater for the growing number of students each year.” He said the eight universities can provide for 10,000 spaces while the 40 colleges can provide for 20,000 and that would meet the targeted benchmark of 30,000 spaces. Mr Marape challenged the DHREST acting secretary and his staff to work around the plans and ensure the targeted spaces were achieved. “Finding the money to match development plans is the government’s business. Your work is to ensure the plans are achieved. “We want the country to be a knowledge base economy in 15-20 years from now. We don’t want a country that is elitist to only a few while the rest are left behind,” he added. Mr Marape further commended DHERST for working extra hours to put the plans together to better the higher education system into the future. “There is no one else who can make better impact for our country into the future than our generation today.”