Government through the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) has signed a landmark Agency Agreement and Provincial Education Board Agreement with the Guadalcanal Provincial Government (GPG), marking a major step forward in education reform and decentralization in Solomon Islands.
The signing ceremony was held last week and was attended by Hon. Tozen Leokana, Minister of Education, and Hon. William Atu, Premier of Guadalcanal Province, who signed the agreements on behalf of their respective governments.
Witnesses to the signing included:
- Mr. Christopher Sakiri, Deputy Secretary of Education Services (on behalf of MEHRD Permanent Secretary Dr. Franco Rodie)
- Mr. Maesac Suia, Guadalcanal Provincial Secretary
- Dr. Derek Futaisi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening
Speaking at the event, Minister Leokana said, the agreement is not just about signing papers—it is about building stronger partnerships and shared responsibilities between the national and provincial governments in delivering education services.
“Guadalcanal Province is the first province to sign this kind of agreement under the Education Act 2023,” said Minister Leokana.
“This agreement shows our commitment to bringing education services closer to the people—especially to our children, schools, and communities.”
The agreement gives Guadalcanal Province new responsibilities, such as:
- Helping schools with planning and operations
- Supporting teachers and school leaders
- Monitoring school performance
- Ensuring education standards are met
Premier Atu welcomed the agreement as a new beginning in provincial leadership for education.
“This agreement confirms my government’s commitment to give every child access to quality education,” Premier Atu said. “We are ready to take on our responsibilities, and we’ve already increased our human resource budget and recruited senior officers to lead this important work.”
He said more staff appointments will be made as needed to implement the Education Act 2023 and its reforms.
Minister Leokana also thanked UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) for their strong support in helping MEHRD and Guadalcanal Province reach this important milestone.
“This is just the beginning,” the Minister said. “Other provinces will follow, and together we will build a stronger, more inclusive education system for Solomon Islands.”
– MEHRD
