Education is top priority of DCGA: Tanangada

EDUCATION is and will continue to be a top priority for the current Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) and future Governments.

Minister for Education and Human Resource Development Hon Lanelle Tanangada told Parliament when she delivered her 2021 Appropriation Bill 2021 debate speech in Parliament recently.

Mrs Tanangada said the young generation deserves the opportunity to complete quality primary, secondary and tertiary education as an integral part of the continued development, commitment and success of this country.

She said as the Government of the day, DCGA recognises the importance of providing our young people with learning opportunities, but this also comes with challenges to finance the education sector. 

Mrs Tanangada said the Education Ministry is currently implementing an education reform, which is aimed to improve access to education across all levels of our education system.

She said the reform will also improve the quality of teaching and learning and to manage financial resources that are provided to operate the entire education system in the country.

“The DCGA has prioritised Education and has also provided the biggest budget. Research conducted in several countries indicate that education reform is the great social justice cause of our times.  If we are to deliver a knowledgeable society, in which opportunity is shared more widely, we must secure the highest standards of education for all young people, regardless of their background,” Minister Tanangada said.

She said this is the commitment, which has been at the heart of the government’s programme of reform – not only the current government but also past governments. 

She said the education ministry budget is required to operate our education system so that schools and higher education institutions can empower young people to succeed in the economy, participate in culture, and graduate from schools well prepared for adult life. 

“My Ministry is committed to deliver educational services, recognise the important role and purpose of education as a main drive of development and to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to reach their potential,” she said.

The Education Minister outlined that the total MERHD budget for 2021 is $1,180,974,231.  This includes the budget heads of 272, 372 and 472. 

The following are the allocations for each budget head of the Education Ministry:

• The total 272 Budget (ie., operating/recurrent budget) is $1,063,279,090.

• The total 372 Budget is $64,155,852.  This is essentially budget support my Ministry receives with much thanks, from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade this year.  There are additional funding that my Ministry will receive from both DFAT and MFAT but these are not featured in the brick.

• The total of 472 Budget (ie., development budget) is $34,730,000.

The education recurrent budget on the other hand, had been reduced by $147,459,510, which is 12.2% reduction for 2021 compared to 2020 recurrent budget. 

Minister Tanangada explained that the decrease is primarily due to the revenue pressures experienced as alluded to by the Minister of Finance and Treasury in his speech last week.

ENDS///