Prime Minister Hon. James Marape today emphasised the critical importance of youth engagement and outlined various programmes his government has initiated since 2019 to involve the nation’s youth actively. He made these remarks while addressing the National Capital District (NCD) Youth Summit and Expo at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby.
Prime Minister Marape commended NCD Governor Hon. Powes Parkop for his significant contributions to addressing youth issues in the NCD, including organising this event to benefit young people in the city. He also acknowledged the vital role of the United Nations in supporting youth-related initiatives.
“Youth are important, and we have been doing work since we arrived in office in 2019. Much of this work is in progress as I speak,” said Prime Minister Marape.
“In the last four years, we have successfully reintegrated over 100,000 individuals into second chance learning programmes. Additionally, we have launched SME initiatives that are available for anyone interested in pursuing small and medium enterprises.”
The Prime Minister highlighted the challenges the nation has faced for many years, particularly due to the Education Reforms of 1991, which, according to him, have led to increased school dropouts without the necessary skills for life.
“In 1991, there was an education reform that replaced the old system with Grade 8, Grade 10, and Grade 12 examinations,” he stated.
“This has resulted in over four million young Papua New Guineans under the age of 50 who have completed various levels of education but lack meaningful engagement in society.”
Upon taking office in 2019, Prime Minister Marape recognised the urgency of addressing these challenges and introduced several programmes to engage youth. These initiatives include the National Youth and Adult Health Policy, National Education Policy, National Volunteer Service, National SME Policy, National Sports Policy, and National Employment Policy, among others.
“While we have numerous policies in place, the key challenge now is to effectively implement these policies to engage our youth. This is a task that requires immediate attention,” he said.
“I need practical implementors. The Prime Minister alone cannot do it. Ministries and sub- national governments must follow suit.More governors and MPs must emulate Governor Parkop’s efforts in addressing the needs of our youth.”