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The problem of meeting demand for education

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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Children group for class activities on the floor. Photo courtesy Friends of Brilliant Star

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

CHILDREN’S interest in education is progressing in Solomon Islands, yet many schools lack professional teachers and infrastructure, it is reported.

Solomon Islands has joined the world to push for quality education for all by 2030 through the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) and other relevant stakeholders in the country.

The target area under the SGDs that Solomon Islands pledge to address is Goal 4 – “Quality Education” and that is to ensure inclusive and equitable education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Achieving these priority areas is becoming a challenge lately particularly regarding conditions which schools around Solomon Islands face such as; infrastructure, less professional teachers, classrooms and children still walk for distance to learn.

Children group for class activities on the floor. Photo courtesy Friends of Brilliant Star

It was interesting to note that the Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Solomon Islands is flooded with children nowadays in private institutions, with few under government.

Within Honiara city, ECE school children are lucky to have easy accessibility to transportation while outside of town children walk distances by themselves for learning – this indicates interest for learning.

Outside of Honiara boundary is an ECE institution named Friends of Brilliant Star School based around Alligator creek, Henderson area.

Brilliant Star provides ECE education but does not have trained teachers; it offers education for children around Henderson, Tenaru and as far as Foxwood area.

Brilliant Star has two teachers, both on voluntary basis due to lack of funding from the national government through MEHRD.

At the moment, Brilliant Star urgently needs monetary support to pay their two ECE teachers.

A statement from the school said, “Brilliant Star has an urgent need to support the wages of 2 ECE teachers. The Education Authority in Solomon Islands does not support ECE teacher’s wages.”

The learning classroom of the Brilliant Star School. Photo courtesy Friends of Brilliant Star

They said donation of $10, $20, $50 or $100 per fortnight will allow them to sustain school operations.

They add, the school is new with hardly any resource to cater for the needs of its student, but for the time being they get resources and trainings from Australian volunteers.

The school is optimistic that if it can be registered the Government will pay for the teachers’ wages.

Meanwhile, the Friends of Brilliant Star School is a not-for-profit association established to raise funds and collect equipment to support the school.

The founding members are spread over Queensland Australia with diverse group of people passionate about assisting education development of children here.

PNA opens world tuna day art & talent quest 2018

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY ELLISON.T.VAHI

THE Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) is hosting its 7th World Tuna Day with a World Tuna Day Art & Talent Quest 2018.

Themed ‘Smart Tuna – Smart Ocean,’ PNA is looking for World Tuna Day 2018 to be vast and is looking for participants’ creative ideas and pictures to help spread the word globally.

The World Tuna Day is annually set for May 2.

Since 2012, PNA has run the World Tuna Day Art and Talent Quest to profile the unique relationship local people have with tuna and its diverse artistic and cultural heritage.

To honour the importance of Tuna the World Tuna Day is to highlight the importance of sustainably managed fish stocks in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

PNA member countries are responsible for the forefront of collective decision making about conservation and management of tuna and is informed by the decisions of its officials, ministers and national leaders who have drafted Implementing Agreements and Declarations setting out key policies and amended these as needed to update decisions.

While tuna is a great food choice and excellent protein source, it is important to understand that you can help sustain global marine ecology and tuna stocks with smart buying decisions.

World Tuna Day is a great opportunity to explore steps that can make a lasting impact in supporting sustainable, legal fishing industry practices.

World Tuna Day is sure to be a good start in helping students from 5 to 12 years of age learn about how to be smart with respect to both their tuna and their ocean.

The contest requested entries are of poetry or short stories, pictures of artwork, short films or filmed music, dance or drama performances on the theme of Pacific Tuna in the wild, tuna and local cultures and lifestyles, Pacific ways of fishing for Tuna, or islanders working together to conserve and manage tuna.

This Competition is open to all artists of all ages who are residents and/or citizens of the PNA-member countries: Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu plus Tokelau.

By entering this competition, participants grant PNAO/Pacifical non-exclusive perpetual licence to reproduce images of your entry on the PNA and Pacifical websites, as well as the marketing of the World Tuna Day to the general public.

All winning entries will be displayed on the PNAtuna website. Each entry will become part of the public historical/archival online contest catalogue.

World Tuna Day is a great opportunity to explore steps that can make a lasting impact in supporting sustainable, legal fishing industry practices.

PNA sends out strong tuna message

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY ELLISON.T.VAHI

THE PNA is sending a strong message of their commitment to conserving and managing tuna resources, while increasing economic benefits for the nine islands in the western and central Pacific that use the globally-recognised “Vessel Day Scheme” (VDS) to manage their fishery.

The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) controls the world’s largest sustainable tuna purse seine fishery.

PNA members are Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Global leaders in tuna conservation and management, many PNA conservation measures are world firsts such as high seas closures to fishing, controls on Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), protection for whale, sharks and the 100 percent coverage of purse seine fishing vessels with observers.

No dolphins are caught in PNA waters and the PNA is actively involved in limiting bycatch of other species.

In 2011, the PNA skipjack tuna caught without using FADs was certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as sustainable, creating the world’s largest sustainable tuna purse seine fishery.

PNA controls around 50 percent of the global supply of skipjack tuna, the most commonly canned tuna.

The focus of PNA efforts to sustainably manage tuna is the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS).

PNA members agree on a limited number of fishing days for the year, based on scientific advice about the status of the tuna stocks.

Fishing days are then allocated by country and sold to the highest bidder. In this way, Pacific Islanders reap economic benefits from their sustainable management of tuna.

Malaita Provincial Alliance unite stakeholders

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Rep from Domestic Violence Unit under Auki Police, Ms Lawrencia Ho’ira’o signing the MPA partnership agreement, witness by one of the Auki police commanding office, Mr Pato.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

Rep from Domestic Violence Unit under Auki Police, Ms Lawrencia Ho’ira’o signing the MPA partnership agreement, witness by one of the Auki police commanding office, Mr Pato.

INITIATIVE taken by stakeholders and Oxfam Australia to establish Malaita Provincial Alliance has created an avenue of working partnership among stakeholders in the province.

President of Malaita Provincial Alliance, Ms Martha Rurai explained that the alliance is a safe family programme coordinated by Oxfam and looks at combating violence.

She said the alliance is looking at becoming a separate body from Oxfam, “so that when Oxfam leaves the body takes over the job”.

Rurai said in light of the partnership, stakeholders in Auki are working on a document for the partnership.

“The important thing about the alliance is to share information, materials and expertise to each other through the partnership.

“There is a cap of being isolated among stakeholders, and this is one advantage of the body so that no one exists by itself.

“This is the rationale behind the establishment of MPA with the support of Oxfam so that everyone works hand-in-hand to save the people of the province,” she said.

Rurai gives an example, saying if someone falls victim to violence, police, health and Malaita’s council of women will collaborate to help the victim.

“We often do that and responsible stakeholders work really well together on providing safe home for victims of violence as one of the key area under MPA.

“Beyond that there are other areas of need involved certain stakeholders in the province we can also work together on them,” she said.

Rurai said the important thing people in the province should understand is no stakeholder works in Isolation.

She said they had their own expertise and areas of work, however MPA unites everyone to speak a same language as they go along.

Rurai said another important thing here is stakeholders in the province failed to provide reports on their work back to the province.

“So province knew nothing about work the stakeholders are doing in the province.

“Hence, this is one important area MPA will ensure to provide report back to the province on all the work they do in the province,” she said.

MUP development projects soon

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
Premier of Makira Ulawa Province Stanley Siapu.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

PREMIER of Makira-Ulawa province Hon Stanley Siapu assures that proposed development projects for the province are set to be rolled out soon.

Information received from his office via email said his government has set focus on the implementation of the projects.

Mr Siapu said “so far all is well and good” as his government is confident on discharging the projects.

“With regards to our development projects, we are just keeping our fingers crossed awaiting outcomes of the national budget.

“The same also for the work mandated for a task force established by our government to negotiate appropriate areas for rehabilitating cocoa, coconut and other agricultural activities in the province,” he said.

Siapu added that under the proposal they aspire towards contributing to the production sector in the country.

He also said there are other national projects eyed for the province as his government is also committed to them.

Siapu said work is on process for two major infrastructure projects for the province including the Ugi Wharf and Kirakira ramp.

He added that a cocoa factory is also eyed for the province and his government is doing all they can in preparation for the major project.

Siapu said there are other projects his government is also eyeing for the province as they await the national budget and other means of funds to execute them.

Meanwhile, this week the national parliament passed its $3.7 billion 2018 national budget.

Bio-security to visit rural communities in Gizo

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

THE Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock bio-security team from Honiara and other officials from Australia will visit Gizo in the Western province.

A statement from the Gizo bio-security office yesterday said the purpose of the visit is to put preventive measures in place to keep plants and coconut trees healthy from diseases.

Bio-security is planning to help and ensure that practices must be routinely carried out to homes, farms and urban areas for the benefit of plants, vegetables and coconut trees.

They will also visit rural communities to assess other diseases that are continuing to affect fruits, vegetables and coconut trees.

Gizo bio-security officer confirmed that the team will visit Saeragi village, Mile-six farm area, West Gizo communities and Gizo urban areas.

“We encourage the general public to report any signs or sickness that affecting your food gardens or coconuts to all our officers.

“The team will be carrying out their duty this Friday 13 April 2018.”

Public is being urged to report any disease, symptom or sign to the officers to assist in.

The officers said the team are currently in Munda and are expected to arrive tomorrow in Gizo.

Public have been encouraged to remain at their respective villages to assist the officials from Australia and bio-security officers from Honiara.

Tina hydro and undersea cable are not business as usual: PM

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
MP for Small Malaita Hon. Rick Hou is being nominated to run for PM onbehalf of the DCC Group

By Gary Hatigeva

PRIME Minister Rick Houenipwela has hit back at members of Parliament who spoke out against the government’s projects and the arrangement of deals they continue to make with development and donor partners.

The Prime Minister was responding to earlier statements made regarding the Tina Hydro and the Undersea Cable projects, which most of the statement suggested that with the way the government is handling all initial establishment programmes, they will end up with having the most talked about projects as just business as usual, with no impacts to the livelihood of the people and the country’s economy.

But when winding up all proceedings of the 2018 Budget and debates of Parliament’s first set of sittings for this year, Hou emphasised that the Tina Hydro and the undersea cable projects are not business as usual.

“Make no mistake as the Tina hydro is something new and not business as usual as it was alleged,” the Prime Minister said.

Hou stressed that the two major government projects have actually broken new grounds for Solomon Islands in many areas.

“In regard to the Tina hydro project for example, it has made it necessary for Solomon power to adapt new changes to their business model of the past decades or we will continue to lag behind our neighbouring countries.

“It is also through the Tina hydro, Solomon Islands would be demonstrating world’s best practice in community and landowner engagement and participation in development,” he said.

He added that through the Tina hydro project, the country will save millions in costs every year for the economy while at the same time, reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and meeting our international obligations.

He further stressed that by establishing these two projects will also demonstrate that Solomon Islands can attract genuine, recognised and quality investors with transparency and clean business practices instead of what he described to be, unknown or shady companies.

“They will show that Solomon Islands has the discipline and foresight to plan, develop and execute large scale viable infrastructure projects and that Solomon Islands is also mature enough to forego government equity, in the search for positive long-term economic outcomes.

“So if the member questioning and criticizing our development partners doesn’t know, this is what we are to gain from these projects and doing what he did is actually standing in and blocking the way for important projects like the Tina Hydro and the undersea cable projects.”

He however shrugged off suggestions that the government must continue to hold back when matters of national interests are under siege.

He said the negative contributors are trying to tell the government not to do anything, “but that is not an option for Solomon Islands”.

Trial resumes for man facing conversion

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE trial into the case against a man alleged of conversion has started in the Honiara Magistrate Court yesterday.

This is the case against Derick Pepere who was charged in relation to an incident in 2015.

Prosecution alleged that on July 15, 2015 the Ministry of Police National Security and Correctional Service ministerial tender board awarded the tender on shipment of Police housing project materials from Honiara to Vanikoro, Temotu province to SMOL enterprises Business in the sum of SBD$450,000.

The awarded sum was intended for the charter of a vessel to transport the materials.

Prosecution said the accused on the case is the Managing Director and the owner of the SMOL enterprises business.

He was awarded the tender to ship police project materials from Honiara to Vanikoro.

Prosecution alleged that the accused did not account for the tender money to the MPNSC either in part or full, because he did not execute its purpose.

Margaret Suifaasia and Dalcy Belapitu appears for the crown on the case.

PM departs for CHOGM

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0

PRIME Minister Rick Hou will leave for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London this week.

The Prime Minister and his delegation will leave tomorrow.

In London, Prime Minister Hou will meet other Commonwealth heads.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with some of the Commonwealth leaders.

Her Majesty The Queen will host the Opening of CHOGM 2018 at Buckingham Palace; she is also expected to meet with the Commonwealth leaders.

Apart from the CHOGM, the Prime Minister will also officially open the Solomon Islands Diplomatic Office in London.

Before travelling to London, the Prime Minister will be in Gold Coast, Australia this week to attend the Partnering with the Pacific Conference which will also be attended by other Pacific and Commonwealth dignitaries.

Hou will also take the opportunity to visit the Solomon Islands Sports Delegation to Commonwealth Games during his visit to the Gold Coast.

–OPMC PRESS

We are not backing down: taskforce

Written by
Milton Ragaruma
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0
A good number of members representing different ministries at the meeting

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

TASKFORCE for border and ethnic tension related claims is adamant that they will not back down until their demands are met by government.

Mr Henry B Kahui, chairman of the taskforce committee speaking to Island Sun yesterday morning, said that they have arranged for a meeting to take place later in the afternoon at Children’s Park, Rove.

Moreover, Kahui voiced that they had submitted a notice to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) twice, yet did not receive any positive response from the office.

He explained that the first notice was given on March 19.

Kahui added that due to no response they extended the notice for a further 14 days period which ended on April 5.

He stressed that government still made no response either for a dialogue or round table discussion hence the meeting will cater for discussions on the next course of action they will take.

The chairman also mentioned they had issued a letter to PMO on March 19 and one to the Attorney General’s office the next day.

Kahui furthered that the meeting will be held so that they can discuss the options to take and voiced that they will not back down from the government.

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