Speech by His Excellency MR Michael Potts, Australian High Commissioner to PNG
Opening of extensions to Salvation Army Boroko Primary School and new FODE facilities, 22 November 2006
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to be with you today for the launch of the Extensions to the Salvation Army Boroko Primary School and new Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) facilities here at Boroko Primary School.
Today, we are unveiling facilities which allow the Boroko Primary School to: (i) increase by 140 students the numbers of new students for enrolment in Grades 1 to 8 which further strengthens the National Government’s education reform agenda; and (ii) expand the Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) facilities to cater for 105 students from grades 10 to 12, providing a second chance to those students who have not been able to complete the formal education system.
The Australian Government, through the Australia - PNG Incentive Fund, has provided 3.9 million kina to the school’s upgraded infrastructure and facilities that we see here today.
The Incentive Fund is just one element of the jointly agreed Australia - PNG Aid Program. Australia provides around 700 million kina a year in assistance to PNG, focused on jointly agreed objectives such as Improved Governance and Nation Building, Broad Based Economic Growth, Improved Service Delivery and Stability and a Strengthened Effective Response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
All Australian assistance is delivered in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea. Importantly, Australia’s aid program is aligned to the main development priorities under the PNG Government’s Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS) and programs only proceed with formal PNG Government approval.
Through the aid program, Australia provides significant assistance to PNG’s Education Sector in partnership with the PNG National Department of Education (NDoE). The Australia - PNG Incentive Fund, by funding non-government organisations, like the Salvation Army helps PNG to build on the work of NDoE and expand the delivery of education we are seeing here today.
Papua New Guinea provides daunting challenges in delivering its education agenda. PNG’s rapidly growing population means that the nation must continuously expand its capacity to accommodate new students. This means more classrooms, more trained teachers and more books and equipment for primary schools. At the same time, high drop out rates after primary schools make it vital to offer flexible education and training opportunities for PNG’s youth if they are to reach their productive potential. In a small but significant way, these new facilities and the work of the Salvation Army are helping PNG to address these challenges.
I would like to congratulate the Salvation Army for the effort that it has put into the development, implementation and management of this project. Your track record speaks for itself, an international organisation working in over 111 countries and with a proven capacity for the implementation and sustainability of development projects, as well as responding to emergencies, and assisting governments such as PNG’s deliver basic services. This project I am pleased to note, was delivered on time and within budget.
I trust that the new facilities we are opening here today will make a lasting contribution to both the quality of teaching and learning here at Boroko Primary, as well as to help increase the number of students who will now progress through the school and prepare them well for vital future roles in developing Papua New Guinea.
Thank you.