MEDIA RELEASE
10 March 2009
For immediate release
K13 MILLION FACILITIES PROVIDE STRONG BOOST FOR PNG VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
The opening today of a new training facility with workshops, classrooms, and 70 bed student accommodation will ensure that PNG’s students have the best possible head start in their vocational education and training.
The facilities – officially opened by the Governor General, His Excellency Grand Chief Sir Paulias Matane and Australia’s High Commissioner to PNG, His Excellency Chris Moraitis – are part of the Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC) and are based at the Port Moresby Technical College.
“Increasing educational opportunities is one of the most powerful tools to assist in a country’s development,” said Mr Moraitis.
“When we increase educational opportunities for a country’s young people we are laying a solid foundation from which to build a strong and prosperous society.
“And when we talk about technical education as we are doing today, we are talking about creating the hands-on skills a country needs to grow.”
The K13 million facilities funded by the Australian Government include a new multi-purpose workshop which can be reconfigured to train electricians, carpenters, metal fabricators and other trades.
The facilities also include student accommodation, classrooms and training tools with funding for operating costs for the first four years, and an additional K500, 000 to help upgrade machine tooling facilities at POMTECH.
”This is a good day for education in PNG,” said Sir Paulius.
“This kind of facility means our students have the opportunity to study in a first-rate environment which will only enhance their capacity to learn.
“If PNG is to continue to prosper there needs to be more people in trades and with the Australian Pacific Technical College working in partnership with industry and the Port Moresby Technical College we will go a long way to achieving this.”
The Australia Pacific Technical College was launched in 2007 to help meet the high demand for vocational education and shortage of tradespeople across the Pacific.
Working in partnership with existing educational institutions APTC facilities are located in Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu and Fiji providing Australian standard qualifications. In 2009 students from Papua New Guinea will be joined at the Port Moresby facility by students from Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Kiribati and Nauru. Some Papua New Guinean students will travel to other countries for their studies.
The official opening included the graduation of 30 students in areas including fitting and machining, electro technology, and hospitality and tourism.
“I am very pleased that we have the opportunity to meet graduates from the APTC here today,” said Mr Moraitis.
“These young people represent the future of PNG. And judging from the quality of the training and the results they have achieved the future looks very bright.”
The training programs are tailored to meet each student’s individual needs and provide them with strong industry skills.
This is assured through the comprehensive on-the-job training provided by the APTC’s PNG training partners: Ela Motors, Hastings Deering, OK Tedi Mining and Port Moresby Technical College.
There are currently 1162 students enrolled in APTC courses in the four campus countries, 327 of whom are enrolled in APTC courses in PNG. In the first four years at least 3,000 students are expected to graduate from the APTC. To date over 300 have already graduated.
Enrolments of students who live off-campus in Port Moresby are on track to increase from the current 40 to 200 by the end of 2009.
The residential accommodation for 70 students will be fully utilised by students in various courses throughout the year.
More information:
Roger Wheatley
Australian High Commission
697 5571