More females graduate at SINU than males this year

More females have graduated than males of the 700 passing out of the Solomon Islands National University today.

The graduation data shows that of the 700 graduands, 451 graduands or 65.5 percent are females while 238 graduands or 34.5 percent are males.

Delivering the keynote address, Rex Ramofafia, Minister of National Planning & Development Cooperation revealed that of these total graduands, 94 are certificate graduands, 2 are Advance Certificates graduands; 400 are diploma graduands; 153 are Bachelors graduands; 23 are Graduate Diploma graduands and 17 are Post Graduate Diploma.

In terms of Faculties, 150 graduands are from the Faculty of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries; 258 graduands are from the Faculty of Education and Humanities; 237 graduands are from the Faculty of Nursing, Medicine and Health Sciences and; 44 graduands are from the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Ramofafia said the statistics suggest that the most popular programmes are offered by the Faculty of Education and Humanities and the Faculty of Nursing, Medicine and Health Sciences.

He adds these further suggests that investments at SINU should more appropriately be on Education and Humanities as well as Nursing and Health Sciences.

“At the same time, call should also be made to strengthen investment and improve development in the other disciplines and sectors that make up the backbone of the country such as Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as well as in the disciplines of Science and Technology and Business Management and Tourism. In-depth knowledge and applied research in these areas should also be encouraged and promoted,” said the minister.

On the 65.5 percent are females, Ramofafia said: “This is very encouraging for gender balance and development.”

He said that one of the concerns is that gender equality remains and challenges continue to exist for women and children. Hence, the minister added that one of the medium term strategies is to improve gender equality and support the disadvantaged and the vulnerable.

News@SBMOnline2023