19 Jul 2004

Solomons provincial premier urges education boost

3:55 pm on 19 July 2004

The premier of Malaita in the Solomon Islands is calling for more funds to be injected to combat high illiteracy rates in the province.

The national government plans to introduce education for all children by 2015.

Reuben Moli says he's unsure how much his province will receive of the multi-million dollar aid from New Zealand, Australia and the European Union.

Mr Moli says with illiteracy at 80 percent, it's a priority.

"So if we are to get development to go ahead for the benefit of the population then we need an educated population and we'd need to improve from the present 20 percent to at least 50 percent of the population to be educated."

Reuben Moli says about 150 more schools are also urgently needed to cater for more than 34,000 school age children who are not enrolled.

He says as well as academic, he would also like to see more practical subjects taught in schools as well.