By EDDIE OSIFELO
A focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and skills training is strategic to our efforts to build a vibrant sustainable economy.
Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale stated this during his debate on the sine die motion in Parliament on Thursday December 15.
“It is important that we engage in a national conversation on what we want to see our education system deliver, both in terms of the economy and society more generally.
“We must be ambitious in our education system, and aim to deliver a world class education to our young,” he said.
Wale said our future in the world must not be built on the assumption that we will forever be dependent on aid from other countries.
“Let us educate for that future when Solomon Islands can stand on its own two feet and hold its head high among nations and advocate for its interests without being compromised by perceived need for aid from donor countries.
“We have become more, not less, dependent on foreign aid over the last ten years,” he said.
“We do need foreign aid.
“But our increasing dependency on it must give us pause for reflection as leaders,” he said.
Wale said it seems the more foreign aid we receive, the more of it we need.
“Given the geopolitical competition, we are to expect more foreign aid.
“We must of course leverage this competition to the maximum in favour of our national interests.
“However, we must exploit it as the opportunity to lay the foundations for a sustainable economy into the future,” he added.
