A former MEHRD Minister, PS suggests the removal of Form 7 to free up space for more students to continue education to Form 5
By MOFFAT MAMU
SOLOMON Islands Government through the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) should consider phasing out Form 7 classes to free up spaces at high schools to allow more students to continue their education until Form 5.
Former Ministry of Education & Human Resource Development (MEHRD) Minister and Permanent Secretary Dr Derek Sikua made the suggestion after hundreds of the 2023 Form 3 and 5 students were unplaced due to limited spaces to continue on to Form 4 and Form 6.
Dr Sikua said it is important to allow students to continue their studies until they sit for their exams at Form 5.
He said with the new and enhanced 4th University of the South Pacific (USP) Campus in Honiara commencing enrolment of new students soon, it is time to make some changes.
“MEHRD should now take steps to phase out Form 7. This will free up some classroom space to assist government to get rid of the Solomon Islands Form 3 Examination and have all students entering Form 1 going all the way to Form 5 soonest,” he said.
Dr Sikua said many students end up dropping out of Form 5 so it is important to have more spaces to allow these students to go on to do Form six.
He said only USP requires a Form 7/Foundation course. Other countries did not offer Form 7/ Foundation.
“Indeed, our school system ends at Form 5. Only USP requires the F7/Foundation course.
“Some USP Member Countries have already phased out Form 7 from their schools,” the former Member of Parliament for North East Guadalcanal said.
He said the country should maintain Form six because it is a regional benchmark to qualify for university.
“We need to keep Form 6 because it is a regional benchmark to qualify our students to enter university anywhere.”
Dr Sikua said students who wish to attend USP should consider attending USP campus near KGVI and at Lawson Tama.
“Those going to USP can use the KGVI and Lawson Tama Campuses.
Sikua argued about this in 2015 to push for the construction of the fourth campus.
“In fact, the foregoing were some of my arguments in 2015 to build the new 4th USP Campus at KGVI.
“As the then MEHRD minister, I had to make a strong case to Cabinet to give up that part of the KGVI land to USP for the 4th Campus.
“Prior to this, you will recall that USP was given land at Aruligho for this purpose.
“This was not possible because, amongst other reasons, the ADB loan was insufficient to develop a ‘greenfield’ campus at the Aruligho site,” he added.
Dr Sikua’s comment received so much support from many social media commentators who expressed that it is time the government must consider this suggestion.
Some commentators said Form 7 foundation is waste of time.
A senior government official said Form 7 is a pre-requisite for USP only but not other regional universities.
Another senior government official said the government should promote the country’s very own university – Solomon Islands National University.
Anther Senior Government official said the country should build more technical and vocational schools to ensure the unplaced students are able to continue their education through some form of studies.
