By ESWIN PLESIO- UPNG Journalism Student
THE Member for Wau-Waria District, Hon. Marsh Narawec, has questioned the Minister for Education, Hon. Lucas Dekena, regarding the future of Grade 8 and Grade 10 examinations in the country.
Hon. Narawec sought clarification on a recent media announcement by the Minister of Education, which stated that Grade 8 exams would be discontinued in 2026, and Grade 10 exams in 2027. This change is part of the government’s “Leave No Child Behind” policy.
In response, Hon. Lucas Dekena explained that the minimum educational qualification in PNG would be a Grade 12 certificate, aligning with the Prime Minister’s commitment to ensuring every child remains in the education system.
“We’ve already addressed the issue of Grade 6 dropouts. By 2026, we will no longer allow Grade 8 students to leave the system prematurely, and by 2027, the same will apply to Grade 10 students,” Minister Dekena stated.
He further clarified that examinations would still be conducted for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
“Our aim is to prevent students from leaving the system without adequate skills. The thinking behind this policy is to ensure all students remain in school and acquire the necessary competencies,” he added.
