Papua New Guinea's Department of National Planning and Monitoring joined government leaders, the Australian government, development partners and the Sonoma Adventist College community in Kokopo, East New Britain Province, recently for the official opening of the college's new Library and Early Childhood Education Centre.
The event drew a number of high-profile attendees, including Minister for Education, Research, Science and Technology Feo Kinoka, East New Britain Governor Michael Marum, Member for Kokopo Ereman ToBaining Jnr, Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources and Member for Gazelle Jelta Wong, Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea Ewen McDonald, and representatives of Sonoma Adventist College and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The new facilities were delivered through a K13.7 million investment under the Australia-PNG Incentive Fund, aimed at strengthening access to academic resources and improving early childhood education training in the province.
DNPM Secretary Koney Samuel, representing Minister for National Planning Sir Ano Pala at the event, acknowledged Australia's continued development partnership with Papua New Guinea and stressed the importance of investing in human capital. "We are opening doors — doors to knowledge, doors to opportunity, and doors to a better future for our young people," he said.
Samuel said education and skills development remained central to the country's national development priorities under both Vision 2050 and the Medium Term Development Plan IV, adding: "It is people who create development — educated, skilled and productive people."