20 September 2013
More skilled workers for Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea and Australia have opened upgraded technical training facilities in Mt Hagen that will produce more skilled workers to address the significant shortage of labour for PNG’s growing economy.
The upgrades to Mt Hagen Technical College include a new fully equipped diesel heavy equipment fitting workshop for teaching motor skills trades, separate male and female 48-bed student dormitories and six teacher accommodation units.
The 9.7 million kina project was delivered as a partnership between the Government of PNG, Mt Hagen Technical College and the Australian Government’s Incentive Fund.
Mount Hagen Technical College Principal Henry Mambil said the facilities meant the college could expand enrolments from 600 to up to 700 and recruit more skilled teachers.
“This is a very big improvement and development for the college since independence,” Mr Mambil said.
Governing Council Chairman, Mr Pais Mark MBE, thanked the Government and people of Australia and said the buildings were a monumental development for technical and vocational education in Mt Hagen.
“These developments are the greatest gift and will linger as some of the college’s greatest achievements while I have been serving 38 years the Chairman,” Mr Mark said.
Mr Mambil said the communities as keepers and custodians of the institution commented positively on the developments and were grateful of the direct and indirect benefits from the Australia – Papua New Guinea partnership.
The office of the Student Representative Council thanked the Incentive Fund and said the workshop was a state-of-the art development and would significantly benefit student learning, while the dormitories would improve student accommodation.
Speaking at the official opening on September 11, the Head of Australian Aid in PNG Stuart Schaefer credited the college leaders and community for their hard work meeting the stringent criteria for Incentive Fund support.
“Australia is proud to back this high performing PNG Government institution,” Mr Schaefer said.
“The college has a proven track record in contributing to PNG’s development and a strong commitment to gender equality and equal rights for every student.”
The college has produced an estimated 10,000 graduates in over 30 years and expanding to help meet the PNG Government’s Vision 2050 agenda for producing more skilled PNG workers.
Mr Schaefer said the Incentive Fund is a sign of the strong Partnership for Development between the governments of PNG and Australia.
“PNG agrees and approves the priorities for Australian aid,” Mr Schaefer said.
“The Incentive Fund is putting 130 million kina into 20 high performing education and health projects across PNG, in alignment with PNG’s priorities.
“Our shared partnership priorities are to improve education, health, law and justice and transport infrastructure.
“We have both signed up to joint targets in these areas and we work side by side on implementing our plans.”
The upgrades to Mt Hagen Technical College were built by local contractors. The AusAID program awards contracts regardless of nationality to get the maximum impact, effectiveness and value for money for the people of PNG.
The upgrades were funded by both the Incentive Fund and a Government of PNG grant. The first classes in the diesel heavy equipment fitting workshop will be held in the 2014 academic year.