Education Talk by David Lepi Sarah not only finished top in Notre Dame Girls High School but is amongst the few who topped the Grade 12 examination in the country. Sarah was already a bright student in community school and everyone knew Sarah would go places. Sarah lost her mother to breast cancer when she was only 12. Her father, Namba, had to perform responsibilities of both mother and father and raised Sarah and her two younger brothers single handedly. It was very difficult for Namba. But it was also a telling moment for Namba, who was occasionally the village 'harmbug man' or a trouble maker came to terms with the startling reality and made a U-turn in his life for his children's sake. Namba refused to remarry and became a good Christian and devoted his entire time fending for his children. With abundance fertile land and the good Nebilyer climate Namba worked the land growing vegetables and raise pigs - prized commodity in the highlands- to support his family.
Now African Swine Flu is hitting the upper highlands Namba and many families here are counting the cost which is compounding with the Covid-19 restrictions. It has been a worse year for farmers throughout the country. Namba could not sell one pig as the school year is approaching fast for Sarah to go to university. Uncertainty in having a child going to school looms in the country for families sharing the Sarah's family fate. The Free Tuition (TFT) or free education was a vital program that essentially bridged the gap between the 'haves and the have nots' to equally access tertiary education. The short sighted decision by the men in the ivory towers, whose children enjoying school overseas, in abolishing free education will now deprive many young smart Papua New Guineans to go to school. For a poor parent a good education for his/her children is everything. The success of the child in school, work and life is often shared by many. When one’s living hand to mouth, education often times is not in their priority list. As long as they have food on the table and will be able to survive another day, it’s good enough for them. For Namba, sending his daughter to school is everything. Sarah refuses to believe that subsistence farming would be her fate. Unless free education is restored many Papua New Guineans will fall out from the education system and the disparity between the rich and the poor will continue to grow unabated. Free education should never be an item on the 'short term pain and long term gain' death list because missing out on life's opportunity just because of no school fee is a lifetime loss which nothing in this world could ever replace. Next : PNG Education System Producing A Container Of Useless Knowledge Share your Inspirational Stories, Education Issues, Education Talk. Let your voice be heard: Send us your stories to us: email : [email protected] Share this
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