Education development to revitalise the region
REPUBLIC OF NAURU
Government Information Office
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, 24 February, 2021
Education development to
revitalise the region
Statement by
His Excellency the President of
Nauru, the Honourable Lionel Rouwen Aingimea, MP
The Pacific region - all the
members of USP - demands a University that empowers its people to
face the challenges that may occur in the future.
With over 40 per cent of our
Pacific populations under the age of 25 we continue to have the
opportunity to empower, through delivery of tertiary education, the
ability to address the challenges of this century - from climate
change, inadequate health care, high unemployment, lack of business
opportunities, inadequate youth services and substance abuse. All
of these issues demand good, consistent and transparent governance
processes to support our capacity to address all of these
challenges and drive our reform agendas.
As Chancellor of the University of
the South Pacific (USP), the premier education institution in the
region, I continue to be most concerned about events that led to
the deportation of the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal
Ahluwalia and his wife on February 4, 2021. I am also
concerned that such treatment to our staff should not happen again.
USP expatriate staff need to be assured they have security of
tenure - this is the way to secure and retain excellent staff both
from within and outside the region. Allowing USP staff to operate
across member countries will support their job security and enhance
the academic reputation of the University.
I have been entrusted by the USP
Council to Chair a sub-committee that will make recommendations to
the Council about the Vice Chancellor's contract and his continuing
in this role from one of the University's other member countries.
The Sub-Committee will make its recommendations to Council
shortly.
Professor Ahluwalia remains
committed to the USP and to the Pacific and is keen to continue
delivering on the USP education promise - to educate our youth
whilst they stay in the region.
During this hiatus, as Council
resolves the status of his contract, I have invited Professor
Ahluwalia to Nauru to witness first-hand the challenges that face
countries in Micronesia and the South Pacific. During this
time, he will gain further understanding of how USP's regional
campuses function outside the Fiji Laucala campus.
As USP's academic year is about to
commence, the capacity to engage at a regional campus will provide
the Vice -Chancellor with greater understanding of the realities
faced by our students and allow him to reflect on innovative
solutions which are so essential to the future of our leading
tertiary institution.
Working closely with the Nauru
Ministry of Education, Professor Ahluwalia will be able to provide
the Government of Nauru, and myself as USP's Chancellor, with
advice on how we implement the vision of forging a stronger USP
across the Pacific region.
The Vice-Chancellor's presence in
Nauru will no doubt further inform his knowledge and help implement
the urgently needed reforms that the USP Commission has
recommended. It will also allow for innovation in curriculum
planning and development necessary to revitalise our
region.
Education is the fundamental
building block for our successful future, and I welcome Professor
Ahluwalia and his wife to Nauru as we work together to make USP
stronger to "Shape Pacific Futures".