By EDDIE OSIFELO
MINISTRY of Education and Human Resources is under pressure to find a solution to the issues facing youths in the country following the last month’s riot and looting in Honiara.
This came after 33 juveniles of the 217 people were arrested on the initial stage of the unrest.
Minister of Education and Human Resources, Lanelle Tanangada told Parliament during the Sine Die motion recent that two questions came to her mind after reading the new on newspaper.
The questions are:
- How else can we educate and train our children so they can learn positive behavior and not easily influenced by others and do not even join mobs that caused violence?
- How else we can teach our children so that they not only possess the necessary skills and competency and right attitude to survive in this ever changing world and contribute positively to the social and economic development of this country but also become law abiding citizens who can freely live with their fellow citizens and environment as well demonstrate respect for one and another, respect the properties, express their opinions on sensitive issues that affect them but with caution and understanding irrespective of their differences such ethnicity, culture, religions and political affiliation?
Minister Tanangada said this recent riot and involvement of many youths in looting and burning of shops in Honiara has exerted more pressure on her ministry to step up its plans and efforts to educate and train our young people so that they are not left behind and be prepared well for the future.
She said the burning of Honiara High School is very very sad indeed.
“Why would rioters target a learning institution?
“It should be the least building rioters should target,” she added.
“These are the many challenges that we must find solutions to and the intervention that my ministry would consider would form the basis of our reform agenda to improve quality of our education system.
“Despite the gaps in education system to prepare our young people for future, Iam still optimistic and hopeful for a future yet some difficulty decisions have to be made as we progress in terms of designing learning pathways for our young people,” she said.
“And I believe we can use education as a tool to empower our young people so that they can realise their full potentials and choose to make good choices and decisions that can avoid them resort to violence,” she said.
Tanangada added there is a need to insert peace education in the curriculum to promote culture, peace and unity.
