Medium Term Development Plan, 2011-2015 - UNDP in Papua New ...
Medium Term Development Plan, 2011-2015 - UNDP in Papua New ...
Medium Term Development Plan, 2011-2015 - UNDP in Papua New ...
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3.5 Higher education<br />
Goal:<br />
To develop the higher skills needed for PNG’s prosperity with a world class tertiary<br />
education sector<br />
Introduction<br />
<strong>Papua</strong> <strong>New</strong> Gu<strong>in</strong>ea’s higher education <strong>in</strong>stitutions made significant contributions to nation build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the<br />
early years of PNG’s <strong>in</strong>dependence. The universities and colleges adequately met the extraord<strong>in</strong>ary demands<br />
that were placed on them dur<strong>in</strong>g this time, provid<strong>in</strong>g well educated leaders for public <strong>in</strong>stitutions and skilled<br />
personnel for other important spheres of society. They can do so aga<strong>in</strong> but, right now, the quantity and<br />
quality of graduates is far short of what is needed due to <strong>in</strong>adequate resources and a range of governance and<br />
general service quality issues. Major changes <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>stitutions of higher education are necessary if PNG is to<br />
be successful <strong>in</strong> meet<strong>in</strong>g the challenges set <strong>in</strong> the Vision 2050 and the PNGDSP 2010-2030. Over the next 20<br />
years, the Government aims to develop the higher skills needed for PNG’s prosperity with a world class<br />
tertiary education sector. Hav<strong>in</strong>g a national manpower plan <strong>in</strong> place to estimate the required number of<br />
personnel <strong>in</strong> technical and professional fields — such as medical doctors, nurses, teachers and eng<strong>in</strong>eers — is<br />
crucial to overcome the problem of uncoord<strong>in</strong>ated and fragmented provisions of higher education.<br />
MTDP <strong>2011</strong>-<strong>2015</strong><br />
In the next five years <strong>in</strong>stitutions of higher education will be mov<strong>in</strong>g down the path towards self-f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with the establishment of a Higher Education Endowment Fund. The Higher Education Endowment Fund<br />
Trust will become a major source of fund<strong>in</strong>g for new capital <strong>in</strong>vestment, ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of faculties, tw<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />
arrangements with foreign <strong>in</strong>stitutions, <strong>in</strong>dustrial partnership, course field work and a wide range of<br />
scholarships to meet the needs of both <strong>in</strong>dustry and the public service. The priority expenditure areas of the<br />
Fund will be clearly outl<strong>in</strong>ed and managed by the Commission for Higher Education, under the general<br />
supervision of the Department of National <strong>Plan</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g and Monitor<strong>in</strong>g. The Fund will be f<strong>in</strong>anced by<br />
contributions from the universities bus<strong>in</strong>ess’ arms, contributions from the private sector, revenue from a<br />
Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS), the 2 per cent tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g levy, and assistance from development<br />
partners. The Government will provide support for the Fund dur<strong>in</strong>g the first MTDP while the HECS scheme is<br />
set up and until the HECS scheme generates sufficient revenues.<br />
The <strong>in</strong>troduction of a government-supported loans scheme to students <strong>in</strong> the form of HECS will enable higher<br />
education students to defer the cost of their studies. The HECS scheme will provide loans to cover tuition fees<br />
imposed by universities, accommodation, plus a specified maximum “<strong>in</strong>cidentals allowance”. Public fund<strong>in</strong>g<br />
for higher education will be realigned towards targeted tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g scholarships. Together with other measures,<br />
the National Government will help prov<strong>in</strong>cial and district authorities to establish scholarship systems for their<br />
students.<br />
Before <strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the expansion of universities and colleges, the Government will fund the recapitalisation of<br />
exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>stitutions and will also ensure they have the management capacity to oversee the expansion. The<br />
focus of government fund<strong>in</strong>g will therefore be on rais<strong>in</strong>g the quality of graduates. To this end, the Government<br />
will also support universities to improve <strong>in</strong>ternet access and communication technologies, and to forge strong<br />
partnerships with relevant stakeholders (both with<strong>in</strong> and outside PNG), <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g dialogue with PNG <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
The Government will ensure that all tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g standards are aligned to the PNG National Qualification<br />
Framework by <strong>2015</strong>.<br />
Build<strong>in</strong>g on MTDP <strong>2011</strong>-<strong>2015</strong><br />
Under subsequent MTDPs, the expansion of universities, technical colleges, bus<strong>in</strong>ess colleges, polytechnic<br />
colleges, teachers’ colleges, nurs<strong>in</strong>g colleges and vocational tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>stitutions will be the focus of<br />
government priorities. Forg<strong>in</strong>g partnerships with relevant stakeholders and engag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> tw<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />
arrangements with reputable <strong>in</strong>ternational <strong>in</strong>stitutions of higher education will also be encouraged and<br />
supported.<br />
Challenges <strong>in</strong> implementation<br />
The higher education sector <strong>in</strong> PNG has been faced with many challenges and difficulties relat<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
<strong>in</strong>sufficient f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g of higher education <strong>in</strong>stitutions, quality and access to tertiary education, staff<br />
development, skills-based tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, enhancement and preservation of quality <strong>in</strong> teach<strong>in</strong>g, research and<br />
services, relevance of programs, employability of graduates, establishment of efficient co-operation<br />
agreements, and equitable access to the benefits of <strong>in</strong>ternational co-operation. External challenges <strong>in</strong>clude<br />
adequate provision of key utilities (water, sanitation, telecommunications, electrification and <strong>in</strong>formation and<br />
communication technology) for higher education <strong>in</strong>stitutions.<br />
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