Basic education for all a must, says Webster

Source: 

The National, Thursday 26th 2012

By DULCIE OREKE
PAPUA New Guinea will not develop socially and economically if the majority of people do not have basic education, National Research Institute director Dr Thomas Webster said.
He said globally Papua New Guinea ranked as one of the lowest in universal basic education indicators with war and drought stricken countries of the sub-Sahara. "We must make every effort to universal basic education if we are to achieve the goals espoused in Vision 2050," he said.
Speaking during the launching of the new universal basic education policy research framework released in Port Moresby yesterday, Webster said it was sad for PNG that the target date of 2015 would  be missed.
He said as someone who had been observing the country's progress towards the goals of universalising basic education, it would be fair to say that PNG has never been serious about achieving UBE for all.
"It has been simply, statements of intents, with no strategic measures being taken to move the country forward," he said.
He said the challenges were  "immense".
He said less that 15% of the children aged six were now able to enroll at elementary prep.
He said of the many that enrolled into elementary prep at different ages, about half dropped out of school and did not complete primary education.
Webster said the quality of education was so poor that even many of those who got to complete a full primary education had not mastered the competencies desired in reading and writing in arithmetic skills and in general knowledge