MADANG Governor Jim Kas has committed funding for a proposed Momase Polytech College in the province.
Kas made the commitment at a dinner last Thursday following a challenge by Madang Technical College principal Patrol Maino.
The dinner was hosted to farewell teachers from 12 vocational schools in the province who had gathered for the first time for an in-service session.
Representatives of Technical and Vocational Education Training (Tvet) centres attended as well.
Issues needing immediate remedial action were the lack of a standard school syllabus and the need for affiliation and accreditation.
Maino said: “There were Tvet centres that were under-resourced but had managed to get by.
“What will happen is that these centres will teach the basic skills such as level one and two courses and advanced level three and four will be offered by our college.
“We want to be seen to be seen to be implementing the government’s education reforms by 2050 to have a greater skilled workforce in the country, and this is the start,” he said.
Kas, who was a Tvet teacher before entering politics, committed K12 million to each of the schools, saying: “I am challenging you all to put figures to your proposal and give it to me.
“The Madang Development Corporation, the business arm of the provincial government, will look at assisting you as Madang is poised to utilise this skilled workforce given ongoing and intending projects.”