ADB, UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC SIGN LOAN FOR NEW SOLOMON ISLANDS CAMPUS

-
SUVA, FIJI (3 November 2016) – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the University of the South Pacific (USP) today signed loan and grant agreements to fund construction of a new USP Honiara Campus, which will boost access to quality higher education. The Solomon Islands Government is providing the guarantee for the $15.4 million loan.


  Solomon Islands Minister of Education and Human Resources Development, John Moffat Fugui, USP Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Rajesh Chandra, and the Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office Department Robert Jauncey participated in the ceremony.

“The Higher Education in the Pacific Investment Program will provide Solomon Islands’ growing youth population with better access to quality education and training,” said Mr. Jauncey. “We are delighted to partner with USP in this initiative to help Solomon Islands address future employment challenges it may face.”

The $15.4 million, along with the ADB-administered grant of $1.5 million from the Clean Energy Fund, will fund the new campus on the King George VI School grounds, about 4 kilometers east from the existing Honiara campus.

The campus will provide additional classrooms, an ICT studio, science laboratories, faculty and administrative facilities with a solar-powered system that will provide 75% of campus  energy needs. This will enhance ICT-based education, improve student services, and help strengthen USP governance and management.  An anchor student program in public health is being planned, as well as a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.  The new campus will also offer technical and vocational education and training.
   
The loan is the second and final tranche under a $19 million loan to help USP improve its facilities and teaching. The first tranche of the loan, amounting to $3.6 million, financed a new ICT-equipped campus in Kiribati which was formally opened in November 2015 by former President Anote Tong. That loan was guaranteed by the Kiribati Government.
                                                                       
Enrolment in higher education in the Pacific region remains low, with rates ranging from 10% in Fiji to less than 5% in most other Pacific island countries. At the USP Solomon Islands campus, the enrolment in 2015 was 4,282 students. Solomon Islanders represent the largest population of national students at the USP Laucala campus (Fiji). The demand for tertiary spaces in Solomon Islands is great, with USP enrolments having increased by an average of 10% annually during 2011-2015.


            ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, ADB in December 2016 will mark 50 years of development partnership in the region. It is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2015, ADB assistance totaled $27.2 billion, including cofinancing of $10.7 billion.

ENDS///

 Source:  PACNEWS 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AUSTRALIA: A STEADFAST PARTNER AND FRIEND TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY DR LACHLAN STRAHN, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SOLOMON ISLANDS Australia and Solomon Islands enjoy a close bond – indeed, we are Pacific family. The Blue Pacific is our shared home, our common region. The Coral Sea links us forever and continental drift is in fact pushing us closer together. But our deep friendship is based on much more than shared geography. We are bound together by our common values as democratic countries committed to peace, a rich spiritual life and a shared determination to give every individual, man, woman, girl and boy, the opportunity to reach their full potential. Family stick together, through the good times and the tough times. Australia partnered with Solomon Islands during some of the country’s darkest moments, including through RAMSI to help restore stability and law and order. And Solomon Islands has been there for Australia, with people across the country reaching into their hearts to raise funds for the communities ravaged by devastating bushfir...
Read more

VANUATU BIGGEST IMPORTER OF CANNED TUNA FROM SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY GEORGINA KEKEA VANUATU is the biggest importer of canned tuna from Solomon Islands. National Fisheries Development (NFD) Limited Managing Director, Frank Wickham shared this information in a recent radio talkback show to mark World Tuna Day. Wickham says the biggest export destination for SolTuna’s canned tuna is Vanuatu. “Followed by Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the market is now open in New Zealand. There is a big move now to promote and market in New Zealand and Australia. We have containers going to Kiribati, Tuvalu with a few to Tonga and Marshall Islands. The biggest of them all is Vanuatu”, Wickham said. He says domestically the consumption of tuna is growing annually making Solomon  Islands one of the biggest canned tuna consumption per capita in the world. “Two years ago it was like more than 800,000 cartons a year. which means for every woman, man and child in the country, they consume one carton a year. So if you look at 48 tin cans in one carton, it is almost one ...
Read more

HOW A TINY PROVINCE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS REACHES OUT TO AUSTRALIA

-
Image
THE small island province of Temotu in the far eastern part of Solomon Islands is one of the nation’s most prone natural hazard areas. The tsunami in 2013 swamped through 20 villages With an estimated population of less than 25,000, Temotu often has its bouts of natural disasters. In 2015, tropical cyclone Pam left devastating effects on the tiny province where people were affected from damages to their fruit trees, food gardens and agricultural crops. People near the coast were evacuated. Then again in 2017, TC Donna in its wake and formation also impacted badly on the people of Temotu. Not to mention it was only seven years ago a tsunami claimed lives of more than 10 people, swamped more than 20 villages forcing the government to declare a state of emergency over the Santa Cruz Islands. Remains of household in Venga village after 2013 tsunami (Photo supplied) Their most recent bout of disaster was in January 2019 where bad weather caused people to face food shortag...
Read more