DEAR EDITOR – The sun was very hot, but I am determined to see my nephew Wilson Mae’aba who will graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry and Biology, at the Panatina Campus, School of Education Pavilion.
I took the bus got off at Ranadi bus stand next to the Marine SICHE School, managed to wave down to a cab and went to Panatina Ridge next to Aluminium Tropical Housing Estates in Panatina.
I walked behind the fence at the SICHE and short cut through the Girl’s dormitory to the Pavilion. I arrived at the Pavilion at 2.15 pm.
I told myself I must not miss this occasion because my nephew has been waiting all his life for this.
He worked hard, families prayed for him including myself, the Solomon Islands Government has paid for his school fees, allowances, air tickets, and accommodation and food while studying and will he repay the government by graduating?
These thoughts raised in my mind because Mr Mae’aba informed me a day before, that some of the students while waiting for their results and were advised by the Solomon Islands Director John Usuramo to check at 2pm for their grades, once successful they would graduate.
Because the pavilion was packed to capacity I ended up standing in the 33 degrees hot Honiara run drenching with seat which as a matter of health personally rewarding.
After speeches were made, it was the Vice Chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra who delivered his key note address.
His presence was pivotal in ensuring the graduates receive their degrees from their respective schools from the University of the South Pacific [USP].
Certain points stick out from the Vice Chancellors speech.
First, the importance of the Solomon Islands’ membership of the University.
Second, the University of the South Pacific’s [USP] decision to allocate $1.8 million specifically for the further development of the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE).
Thirdly, that the University of the South Pacific is not competing against the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education.
On the first point it is clear that we are the second largest number of student enrollment at USP, in terms of our comparison with Fiji in relation to our population size I think we have a lot to do.
On the allocation from the USP Council it is reflective in my opinion on the progressive realisation that the USP Council has, in acknowledging the growing importance of the Solomon Islands and Solomon Islander(s).
A ten fold push in the development of capacities of all Solomon Islanders access to educations becomes a “night” a human right as opposed to it being a privileged it hence required.
The relevant United Nations agencies along with relevant government and non – government organisations emphasis on this most needed.
That is development of USP and or SICHE or other religious organisations educations facilities.
The Executive of the Solomon Islands College is mindful of its own welfare and as its head once acknowledged the SICHE must maintain a distinct Solomon Islands College of Higher Education [SICHE] and whilst it is appreciative of assistance from regional and international educational oriented sources the status of SICHE or a National University of the Solomon Islands [N.U.S.I] must be protected and progressed.
Going back to the 1998 – 2003 Solomon Islands Crisis, I do not want to use the terms ethnic tension because I observe and after having spent more than 3 years back into the country, I would say that the root causes of the crisis was more to do with socio – economic crisis because of the lack of formal education both technical/vocation and academic offered by the previous government that have led to the crisis.
The graduation of more than 200 plus students from doing an estimate from the sitting between the vehicles parked across the pavilion trying to hide from the sun brings me more reason to smile because I believe with those certificates, diplomas, degrees, postgraduate certificates, postgraduate diplomas and masters in arts and sciences [one particular student of interest was who had obtained his Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology] and those Masters of Business Administration [MBA] was the growing stock of graduates who would put to good use for this country, their villages, families, tribes, provinces, the region and in fact the world to make Solomon Islands the most livable country in 2020.
I sensed from the words from Professor Rajesh Chandra that the Solomon Islands is destined to be amongst the most prosperous country in the world based on its standing stock of graduates and rate of graduates each year.
Good on you Mae’aba! And all graduates.
Solomon David
Honiara
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
