THE New Zealand government is assisting the country’s rural training centres through Caritas, under a five-year partnership between New Zealand and Solomon Islands Association Vocational Rural Training Centre (SIAVRTC).
The first two centres to benefit are Vanga Teachers College in Western Province and Kaotave Vocational Rural Training Centre in east Guadalcanal.
A SBD$843,056 in assistance handed over to SIAVRTC director Billy Mae by Caritas NZ program manager in Honiara two weeks ago will be used by the two respective centres to build two staff houses.
Mr Mae said the five years partnership development program will benefit eight vocational rural training centres.
He added the programme is expected to raise the level and standards of the centres as the five components stipulated in the partnership targets the immediate need of the centres.
He thanked Caritas NZ and the New Zealand government for the support.
Mr Mae said the funding will assist the two rural centres to build new infrastructures.
Construction on the infrastructures will be done by carpentry students of the two institutions.
The Vanga project will start over the Christmas holiday whilst Kaotave project will begin next year.
Mr Mae said the five targeted areas under the five year partnership are training of 72 instructors for agriculture, mechanic and carpentry disciplines and accrediting them with the NZ qualification frame work, leadership management training for 18 RTC principals, provision of tools and equipment for the eight disciplines and infrastructure developments for eight RTCs and financial book-keeping and management for women in the community.
The five year partnership will run until 2019.
By TRIXIE CARTER
