SI holds one of lowest records with only 3.5% participate in tertiary education

Solomon Islands has one of the lowest records of participation in tertiary education in the region with only 3.5% of the population taking part.

“It is nowhere near other Pacific Islands countries,” said the Permanent Secretary of Education and Human Resources, Dr. Franco Roddie, during the unveiling of the new Anglican Church of Melanesia’s new university, John Coleridge Patteson University (JCPU), yesterday.

In that regard, he further stated that the establishment of JCPU is important adding that it will not only for ACOM members – but for Solomon Islanders too.

“I look forward for the young people from this area taking advantage of the access that is going to be made available. Because you know what, if you compare the participation rate of those young people and citizens who participate in tertiary education in Solomon Islands it is only 3.5%.

Though he did not give any datas in comparison with other island countries, he said it is very low though it has gone up to more than 3.5% now.

“When I started as the PS of Ministry of Education it was merely 2.4%. Compare this with the rest of the Pacific Islands, the smallest like the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea we are no way near them.

“I won’t preach to you anymore on why it is important to increase participation of Solomon Islanders in tertiary education,” he said.

Dr Roddie stresses that those who attain tertiary education qualification would know that the country needs better, qualified and skilled people to join the workforce.

“So that we can be able to build the nation to the next level of development,” he said.

Solomon Islands currently has only one national university, the Solomon Islands National University (SINU), with the University of the South Pacific (USP) being the other key player. There are also other universities that offer flexible learning via their agents here.