I BELIEVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN HIJACKED BY OUR PAST COLONIAL MASTERS THROUGH OBE. THEY WILL NOT QUIT EASILY, THEY WILL STILL INFLUENCE OUR FAILURES SO THEY CONTINUE TO LOOT THROUGH OUR WEAKNESS THEY CREATED. What is the background to the NEC decision on the proposed School of Excellence concept? Human capital need assessment-Highly skilled scientific and technological workforce lacking An extensive analysis of human capital need assessment study undertaken in PNG identified huge gap in highly skilled scientific, technological and technical human resources since colonial era and current (Exxon Mobil, 2010). The study identified 10000 scientific, 10000 technological, 20000 technical workforces were needed in two Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects. The study revealed that PNG did not have the scientific, technical and technological capacity and most of the workforce will be recruited from abroad. Evidence provided shows that majority of our people will be laborers. One of the factors impeding the country progress in developing highly skilled workforce is that successive governments’ over the decades failed to invest in highly science, technology and technical manpower needed to develop our mineral resources. 1900s to 1960s - Huge resource booms less investment in highly skilled workforce. From 1900s to 1960s (60 years) there were records and unrecorded extraction of huge renewable resources and non renewable mineral resources from the country. Millions and billions of dollars were paid to the colonial administration as taxes. Where was this money invested? Where would PNG be if our colonial government invested in highly skilled education? The question is how did our colonial administration go wrong in investing in education when there was a huge boom in agricultural, fisheries and mineral resources development in the country since 1900s? The first economic boom was recorded in 1900s (copra plantations and spice trade), the second resource boom was recorded in 1930s (Wau/Bulolo gold field, Gulf oil extraction, Highlands gold extraction), third resource boom was recorded in the 1980s (Bougainville copper, Ok Tedi Mining). Those resources extraction generated millions and billions of dollars under colonial administration and PNG pre-independence government (Batten, 2009). During the period, the colonial government earnings did not translate into tangible investment in human resources programs. Despite those massive earnings (1905-1980) there was still huge number (200000) of school aged-children not in school in that period (DoE, Corporate Data, 1973). Investment in secondary, vocational and technical schools as well as the development of highly skilled scientific and technological skilled work force was lacking and wanting. Colonial administration education goal- inadequate and wanting Although Australia colonized Papua New Guinea for over 70 years (1900s-1974), there was nothing to show case Australian colonial administration commitment to developing PNG highly skilled human capital development despite Papua New Guineans showing potential. In the same period Australia heavily invested in education and infrastructure development for its citizen and disregarded its colony. The colonial government disregard for investment in highly scientific and technological workforce was deliberate even though there was billions of dollars extraction of renewable and non renewable mineral resources out of the country. This was well reflected in the colonial administration education goals. The aim of education under colonial administration was basically to replace expatriate workforce in the public service. Hence, the focus of schooling was to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills for the readily available public and private sector job markets. As soon as students completed grades 6, 8 and 10, they were employed directly into the public service workforce. The education of many Papua New Guineans at that time did not go beyond secondary school level. This goal was based on the preconceived notion that Papua New Guineans were unintelligent to think scientifically, technological and technically and be competitive in high level of knowledge and skill acquisition despite many Papua New Guineans showing high level of intelligence and potential (Ref here). It is well documented that the attitudes of different colonial governments towards Papua New Guineans in that period portrayed Papua New Guineans as “bush Kanakas” (uncivilized and unintelligent in all western introduced concepts and ideas) (ref here). Another disturbing revelation was that colonial government did not want the indigenous people to have access to advance education and development. Hence, the pace for education and development for the populace was slow, selective and discriminative (ref here). Relevant studies on Papua New Guinea colonization revealed that the colonial government had the secret agenda of ‘keeping the indigenous always primitive’ (KIAP) (Ref here). For this reason, the country’s highly social, economic and political development was lacking and wanting. These questions are pondered to reflect on the past and the current status of our country’s development in terms of highly skilled workforce. Where would PNG be if colonial governments invested in scientific, technical and technological education without negative portrayal of its colonial subjects? Was it a deliberate move to sabotage the intelligence of the indigenous people so that white supremacy and domination was legitimized? There were three economic booms recorded in the country during the colonial era but where was the money invested?
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 20:09:59 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015