BY NED GAGAHE
The Government has confirmed plans to restructure the education sector by splitting responsibilities to improve focus and delivery across key areas of learning and training.
Prime Minister Matthew Wale said Cabinet and Caucus have already approved the proposed changes, which will see Higher Education, Skills and Research established as a new dedicated portfolio.
The Prime Minister said the restructuring is expected to take effect following the national budget process at the end of the year, with further refinements to follow in the next budget cycle.
He explained that the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) will continue to operate in its current form, while the new structure will allow greater targeted attention to different levels of education.
“Higher education, skills and research will become a new one,” Wale said.
The Prime Minister said the reform is designed to improve both policy direction and resource allocation across the education sector.
“This will give much greater focus, both in terms of fiscal resource allocation on budget, but also in terms of policy,” he said.
He added that the changes will support education delivery from mid-primary level through to vocational training and tertiary education, including the Solomon Islands National University (SINU), while also strengthening efforts to roll out the government’s free education policy.
The Prime Minister said the aim of the split is to ensure more targeted planning and improved outcomes across all levels of education.
“The split is to give focus, targeted focus, so we’re able to do that,” he said.
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