Education only weapon to change a person and a society

Education our only weapon to change a person and a society

Introduction

Elizabeth Mongobe, one formidable Hela women's leader raised a topic of discussion on a facebook social group which provoked this piece. One of the greatest human beings who ever lived, leaving us life's many lessons was true believer and doer of education. According to Africa's freedom hero and the world's living icon, Nelson Mandela, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” He had wisdom, charisma and grace to forgive those who subdued his freedom and right. I am using present tense as we know his legacy lives on in our world history today. What did he mean to say education is the only weapon for change?

Our education system has failed us

Exposure to the education system in Australia has taught me many things. One thing I have learnt is that education is an asset, a commodity and a basic human right for all persons. I am sure this is the same for any country including low-middle-income countries like Papua New Guinea and other Pacific Islands countries. The one thing I admire here is that every child has the opportunity to complete year 12 straight with no dropouts along the way. It is compulsory. Parents and education agencies work together to make sure every child get that opportunity to year 12. However, it is also flexible. In the event a child chooses to pursue other apprentices and informal means of education. For example, if a child desired to pursue a career in arts or music, there are drama schools or other TAFE courses which allow a pathway in these spaces without exactly completing year 12. 

Education opportunities is admirably abundant. Not to mention the quality and level of education and development resources that is available and accessible. There is an institution, a school, a course for need, every career path, every professional development. As you will be aware, Australians now take center stage at the global level in many disciplines. Australian scientists, chefs, entrepreneurs, inventors, economists, journalists and more contributing to a changing face of our world today! I am not trying to compare the Australian system with the Papua New Guinea system. I am hopefully trying to make the picture clearer. Because we know Australia as an OECD or Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries is only third on the United Nations Human Development Index to Norway and Switzerland. What is important to note however is that Papua New Guinea has the potential to invest in education as the only tool where our country can grow into an economically viable, healthy country. Regrettably, our education has failed population education. The strategy we have taken 46 years ago since independence has not provided a viable and clear pathway for every individual and child to pursue education at the highest level and in every field and professional career path. 

The education system in Papua New Guinea has been prone to numerous restructuring. From basic education to outcome based education, and vice versa, the only thing that seems advantageous is the increase in years at primary level schooling. What I find quite intriguing is how the system is set up to fail students. When I was completing year six in 1987, there were a total of over 80 of us passing out. I also remember students who I know were clever but they could not go to high school because they failed their year six exams. This happened again in year ten. Most of my high school colleagues who were very smart in their own right did not get an offer because they simply failed their year ten exams. I have never forgotten the written expression question that year when I did my exams. The question was to describe a coconut tree in a number of words. I would have failed because coconuts grew in the coast and we were a bunch of year ten students in a typical highlands school. I and I am sure all my mates have never seen a coconut tree in our lives. Who would have dared to study coconuts in geography classes? What did coconuts have to do with anything? 

Education is a basic human right for all individuals regardless of where they are in the world. The implication is while the education system in Papua New Guinea creates drop outs at a very young age for our children, the curriculum is out of context. I argue that our education system in PNG has deprived our right and our children's right to gain the education we deserve. I am arguing that the education system have over the years created the high rates of illiteracy that we confront to this day. We have spent the last 46 years working on the system instead of getting the population educated.

Stand back and thoroughly look at the way our children learn, you will suddenly discover that the education system has pushed our young, potential children who have the ability and the capability to be leaders in our society and at the global stage roam the streets. Our school system has a number of drop outs allowing children to fail exams, return to the community, become farmers, marry, have children and the cycle goes around. In PNG, what paid employment can anyone get with year six or year eight or year ten or year twelve certificates? I doubt there is any! The multinational multi-million dollar developments such as oil and gas projects have opened up roads and access to nearest towns and cities. Our young children develop the tendency to explore city life perceived to be better than village life. Obviously with no proper education, dreams for better life are suddenly chartered. Therefore obliged to steal, vandalize, involve in law and order issues, drugs and alcohol issues and finally end up in jail or contracted with HIV or the like. Then we the people, the families, the loved ones and the government of the day blame these so called people because they are bad and evil. All humans are the same regardless of sex, gender, age, actions or behavior because we all have a soul! So we have created bad people in our society with the way we establish our education system!.

Where to from here?

Commendations to individuals, parents, teachers and children who have worked around the system and the gaps in it to strive for education and to climb higher. I am proud that PNG has indeed produced some of the top intellectuals in all and any professional field. Our people and our government need to trust us and value education as an asset so we can take our country further. 

NB: 

I respect your views. I expect you to respect mine. Only educational critiques and comments please. Thank you