AUGUST 1, 2023
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has expressed his satisfaction with the achievements of the six national schools of excellence in Papua New Guinea, namely Sogeri, Kerevat, Aiyura, Passam, Port Moresby, and Wawin.
During a presentation of the Department of Education’s 2022 Annual Report to Parliament on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Education Minister Hon. Jimmy Uguro highlighted the remarkable progress of these institutions. A noteworthy milestone is the selection of 55 pioneer students from the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme at the national schools of excellence for admission to universities in the USA, with an additional seven students accepted by Australian universities.
Having personally contributed to the establishment of the national schools of excellence and having introduced the concept at the Port Moresby National School of Excellence in 2020, with STEM as its flagship, Prime Minister Marape expressed his delight at witnessing their success in just three years.
“I am immensely proud of the national schools of excellence initiative, which caters to highly-talented students as creators and innovators. The selection of 62 students for scholarships at prestigious universities in the US and Australia demonstrates that Papua New Guinea can compete globally, especially in this era of robotics and artificial intelligence,” stated Prime Minister Marape.
The STEM curriculum at the national schools of excellence has been designed to align with STEM-related courses taught at universities in Papua New Guinea, and the first batch of 220 students graduated in 2022.
Prime Minister Marape further shared his enthusiasm upon learning that 190 students from the national schools of excellence class of 2022 have been granted admission to universities within Papua New Guinea for the year 2023.
“This development bodes exceptionally well for Papua New Guinea as we cultivate a new generation of highly-intelligent young minds to lead our nation into a prosperous future,” he added.
“The success of the national schools of excellence stands as a testament to Papua New Guinea’s commitment to providing quality education and fostering the growth of its youth in an increasingly competitive global landscape.”
******