“Every child’s future will no longer depend on parents’ income.“
Prime Minister Matthew Wale has placed Free Education at the very center of the GREAT Coalition Government’s agenda, declaring it not simply a policy but a fundamental statement about the kind of nation Solomon Islands chooses to be.
“Free Education is at the very centre of its national agenda,” PM Wale said. “We have done so not because it is politically convenient, nor because it is the easiest policy to implement, but because we believe it is one of the most important investments our nation can make.”
“The greatest investment any nation can make is to invest in its people.”
The announcement represents a historic commitment that will transform access to education across Solomon Islands. Starting with the removal of school fees, the policy signals that education is not a privilege to be purchased but a right every child deserves.
PM Wale posed a simple but powerful question that cut to the heart of the policy: “Why should the education of a child depend upon the financial circumstances of his or her parents?”
Right now, families across Solomon Islands struggle to keep their children in school. Fees force impossible choices. Bright children leave classrooms because parents cannot afford to pay. Talent goes unrealized. Potential remains locked away.
The Prime Minister asked another critical question: “Why has it taken us so long?”
If education is truly the pathway to national development, he said, then the nation must take responsibility for ensuring every child can learn, not just those whose families have money.
Throughout history, nations that prospered invested most in educating their people. Education has liberated societies from poverty, strengthened democracy, and driven discovery. Yet in Solomon Islands, education has remained a privilege tied to family wealth.
“Education has always been the great equaliser,” PM Wale stated. “It enables the ability to triumph over circumstance. Allows talent to overcome disadvantages. Opens doors that poverty would otherwise keep closed.”
Free Education changes this. It says that a child’s future will not be determined by their parents’ bank account. It says that talent, determination, and hard work will matter more than circumstance.
PM Wale said that education cannot remain solely a family responsibility. “Education cannot simply be regarded as a private responsibility. It must become a shared national responsibility,” he said.
This reflects a fundamental truth about the social contract between government and people. When the nation needs educated citizens for development, prosperity, and democracy, then the nation must invest in education for all.
“If education is the pathway through which nations liberate themselves from poverty, ignorance and inequality, then surely education cannot simply be regarded as a private responsibility,” the Prime Minister said.
Free Education means more than eliminating school fees. It is “a declaration of national purpose,” PM Wale explained.
The Government will strengthen the quality of education by investing in teachers, improving school infrastructure, expanding technical and vocational education, and strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Schools will be places where young people develop not just to earn a living but to create employment, lead communities, and contribute to national development.
When one child gets education, the benefits spread outward.
“When we educate a child, we strengthen a family. When we strengthen a family, we strengthen a community. When we strengthen communities, we strengthen the nation,” PM Wale said.
The investment ripples through generations. A child educated today becomes a parent who values education. A young person with skills becomes an employer. A student with training becomes a leader.
Free Education is not an expense, it is an investment that yields extraordinary returns.
“No investment yields greater or more enduring returns than investment in human capability,” the Prime Minister stated.
When young Solomon Islanders are educated, they contribute to economic growth, strengthen democracy, drive innovation, and build their communities. The nation gains what it invested many times over.
PM Wale extended gratitude to development partners already supporting this vision. “Your support for our Free Education Policy demonstrates that this vision extends beyond our own shores,” he said.
This partnership approach recognizes that transforming education requires resources, expertise, and commitment from multiple sources, all united behind the vision that every child deserves to learn.
PM Wale made clear that Free Education will be judged by one measure, “Does it enhance the dignity, opportunity and wellbeing of the people of Solomon Islands?”
Implementation of this landmark initiative is scheduled for the coming year’s outset, following the finalization of the national budget this November.
That is the Solomon Islands the GREAT Coalition Government is building, a nation where education opens doors for every child.
