WESTERN Provincial Government (WPG) under the leadership of Billy Veo has been urged to invest more in education infrastructure in order to train and develop the province’s future human resource.
Newly elected Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) for Ward 10 Iriqila on Vella Freedom Tozaka highlighted this in his contribution during the Sine Die Motion during the recent first sitting of the Full Assembly in Gizo.
He said, in preparation for the proposed move by the province to become a statehood, its important to take steps to invest more in the human resources development of the province.
He added that better and new education facilities must also be prepared as part of the province’s future investment.
Mr Tozaka a former education officer said, with the province now having access to faster and better internet services such as 3G and 4G plus the latest technology for e-learning there is a potential for rural students to study online.
“We need to utilise the provision of technology that is now available in our province,” he said.
He also suggested during the debate about the need for some of the institutions like the University of the South Pacific (USP) and Solomon Islands National University (SINU) to consider setting up their provincial branches in Gizo.
Mr Tozaka pointed out that having these institutions offering services in the province especially in Gizo will stop parents and students from traveling to Honiara to further their studies.
“By having these tertiary institutions in our province will bring so much benefit to our people and the province and will cut the cost of time and money to travel far. So we need to prepare for such investment,” he said.
The previous government led by David Gina had offered to host the USP’s fourth campus on Gizo.
However, the proposal was downplayed and the campus is now built next King George Sixth School.
By MOFFAT MAMU
Solomon Star, Gizo
