BY INDY MAEALASIA

THE Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) has approved several new schools and class expansions at the secondary level for this year, aiming to meet the growing demand for education.

In a sine-die motion last month, Minister Tozen Leokana told parliament that the ministry had given the approval to twenty schools.  

Leokana said of the twenty schools, three are new primary schools, one Rural Training Center (RTC), nine schools to commence form one, and an additional seven schools to provide form four.

He said the trend of establishing new schools and expanding the secondary level has indicated the need to cater to the “growing school population.”

While acknowledging a significant increase in the ministry’s budget, Leokana emphasized that challenges remain.

“…although we have the biggest share, we still have many challenges that remain, particularly in education access at the early childhood education and senior secondary school level. Including  learning outcomes for girls, children, those with disabilities and students in rural areas,” he said.

Other challenges include low student completion rates, the impacts of climate change, population growth, economic constraints, and limited resources for funding essential infrastructure projects.

Despite these challenges, Leokana expressed confidence in the ongoing education reform program, which is designed to address these issues.

“Nevertheless, there is renewed efforts by the government, together with the support budget through our donor partners, to address those challenges in 2025 and beyond,” he added.