Space limitation sees few Grade 12 students selected to tertiary institutions.

Only 5628 out of the 21,000 Grade 12 students who completed secondary school education last year have been offered places in tertiary institutions this year, an official says.
The remaining 15,372 cannot attend the six universities and various colleges, according to Professor David Kavanamur. He is the Acting Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology. He revealed the statistics at the opening of the academic year at Divine Word University in Madang last Friday.
“For the new intakes, count yourself most privileged to be part of the 5628 students who are fortunate enough to be selected into one of our higher learning institutions out of 21,000 school leavers in 2014,” he said.
Kavanamur said only two percent of the country’s population had tertiary qualifications, something the Government was addressing.
He said to progress to a “middle-income country”, PNG must have 15 per cent of its population with tertiary qualifications.
Kavanamur said every university student had an important role to play to achieve a goal of Vision 2050 by making “a smart, wise, fair, healthy and happy society by 2050”.
“The first pillar of Vision 2050 acknowledges the country’s critical need for sufficient quality human capital development to ensure we are able to achieve future economic and social prosperity and environmental security,” he said.
“And every one of you students here today is able to contribute to attainment of this pillar, through dedication and commitment to your studies, and through final application of your newly-gained knowledge and skills when you enter our professional workforce.
“And so, given your wonderful study opportunity at DWU, I ask all of you to apply yourself diligently to your studies throughout the year, to assist each other to learn as much as you can from your lectures, and to muster the determination necessary when you feel overloaded with exams and assignments.”

PNG Today / The National