General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, Fr. Victor Roche says the government must live up to its promises to include them in the national budget, because they contribute also to nation building with human resources.
The question of whether church-run tertiary institutions; like Divine Word University; and the Pacific Adventist University, are included in the National Budget, remains unanswered.
This was a promise delivered by the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill in 2013, at a gathering at Divine Word University, Madang, for church-run universities to be included in the national budget.
In December 2016, the same question was directed to National Planning Minister, Charles Abel.
Fr. Victor when responding told EMTV News, Divine Word and Pacific Adventist must be included in the budget because these universities have been educating the country’s human resources who are instilled with values of good morals, and ethical conduct.
“The Prime Minister in future should include church-run universities in the national budget. This is because they educate our human resources and also give the best. This will encourage them to contribute meaningfully to nation building,” Fr. Victor said.
The national government, Fr Victor says must deliver its promises and not to use excuses saying these universities also receive funding support through the TESAS scholarships and Australian incentive funds.
“Go little beyond the scholarships and the incentive fund and include them. In this way, better results will be achieved. I am sorry to compare but these church-run universities produce the best without hesitation to be employed,” he said.
He said, the government must equally invest heavily in its human resources and support these church-run tertiary institutions.
