Madang Government pledges K500, 000 assistance to Madang Technical College
The Madang Provincial Government has pledged a K500, 000 assistance to Madang Technical College as the beginning of a commitment to lift the standard of the institution to a polytechnical college.
Governor Ramsey Pariwa announced the pledge last Friday during the college's 53rd graduation ceremony.
Governor Pariwa said the K500,000 assistance is the beginning of the commitment of a collaborative partnership to lift the standard of Madang Technical College to a polytechnical college.
College principal Marcus Weimeia remarked that it has been a long time since any political leaders of Madang province had officiated at the Madang Technical College graduation, and for Governor Pariwa to cordially accept the invitation to attend as guest of honour was a momentous gesture with special significance.
This year’s graduation witnessed a total of three hundred and thirty-nine students received certificates in various trade skills courses namely, Building and Construction, Cabinet Making and Joinery, Plumbing, Drafting and Metal Fabricating, while diplomas were awarded in Business Studies and Hospitality and Tourism courses.
Governor Pariwa, in his address, attributed that over the past years, there had been a wide gap in the working relationship between the Madang Provincial Government and Madang Technical College.
He announced that he is closing that gap and wants a more collaborative partnership forged between the Madang Provincial Government and the Madang Technical College.
“Today signifies my commitment to education in the province and most particularly to Madang Technical College to work in collaborative partnership to build the institution and build the human resource, not only for Madang but for the country,” Mr. Pariwa declared.
He encouraged the graduands of Madang Technical College that PNG will one day be shaped by their contributions.
Governor Pariwa said the founding fathers of this nation did not make a mistake in including education to the preamble of the Constitution, which in the Five National Goals and Directive Principles, the first one being Integral Human Development, which is education in its simplicity.
“Our forefathers envisioned and dreamed before independence that after independence education must be prioritized by any government of the day in ensuring that we develop this diverse country on planet earth, and unite this most diverse and most challenging country,” Mr. Pariwa said.
“That spirit must not be left hanging in the air. We’ve left that spirit hanging in the air for the last 50 years,” Governor Pariwa added..
He further emphasized that in order for Madang province to develop the priority has to be in education, so as soon he took office he introduced the Sir Peter Barter Scholarship program, which is the first of its kind after all these years after independence.
He even mentioned that some of the graduands of Madang Technical College are also beneficiaries of the scholarship.
Mr. Pariwa also urged Madang Technical College to introduce more courses in business, agriculture, science, and technology.
He further encouraged that the Madang Technical College should not only focus on skills base training but also go into science, engineering, and business courses that they see fit to solve the human problem in the society.