The Yegiora Files

by Bernard Yegiora PNG’s 2026 National Budget allocates K30.9 billion with education positioned as a flagship priority under the Reset PNG@50 framework. With K4.9 billion committed to the sector, the government has stated its intention to strengthen frontline delivery, expand access, and improve learning outcomes. TESAS, HELP, GTFS, STEM initiatives, and teacher salary support dominate the structure of expenditure, signalling continued investment in student access and school-level capacity. This is necessary, but it is no longer sufficient for the national skills pipeline. Screenshot from article publish on the TVWAN PNG News website The core weakness remains unaddressed: PNG does not have a systematic strategy to build its research workforce. TESAS and HELP are restricted almost entirely to undergraduate study, despite the fact that national development depends on a tertiary sector capable of conducting research, producing knowledge, and training the next generation of professionals....

 By Bernard Yegiora PNG is producing thousands of graduates every year from the University of PNG, Divine Word University, the University of Goroka, the University of Technology, and institutions such as the Pacific Adventist University. The volume is rising, yet national stakeholders continue to question the quality of outputs. The core issue is structural: PNG has no unified ecosystem that incentivises academic excellence, research productivity, and continuous professional development in higher education. Without a coordinated financing and remuneration framework, quality assurance becomes aspirational rather than operational. Screenshot of university logos from for this site: Link The Government has long prioritised Free Education and TESAS, but the investment pipeline ends at enrolment and graduation. There is no corresponding investment in the people who drive academic standards—university staff. Unlike the Department of Education, which operates a unified salary structure, c...