Prime Minister James Marape congratulated the 30 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students who left for India yesterday (Saturday July 27th) on PNG Government STEM scholarships. This group marks the first of several departures, with another group set to travel to the United States of America (USA) next month and a third group heading to China in September. The 30 students, comprising 14 females and 16 males, excelled in their Grade 12 STEM studies in 2023 at the six National Schools of Excellence: Sogeri, Aiyura, Kerevat, Passam, Wawin, and Port Moresby. They are set to explore fields such as Artificial Intelligence, physiotherapy, biotechnology, mathematics, chemical engineering, and aerospace engineering. Accompanying them to India is Mr. Benny Rayappan, Assistant Secretary of National Schools of Excellence. Spearheaded by Prime Minister James Marape, this transformative STEM initiative has already paved the way for 43 remarkable students from the 2022 program to secure placements in US universities through the PNG Government-funded scholarships. "The departure of the 30 students to India marks a historic day for PNG as some of our top young minds set off on an inspiring journey to India, courtesy of our Government’s STEM scholarships,” Prime Minister Marape said. “We are proud of our Grade 12 STEM students, who represent the cream of our educational system.” “This initiative is a testament to the government's unwavering commitment to advancing education and fostering global opportunities for PNG’s talented youth." Marape expressed gratitude to Education Minister Lucas Dekena, Education Secretary Dr. Uke Kombra, Dr. Clement Waine, and Mr. Benny Rayappan for their efforts in making this a reality. He emphasized that the continuation and expansion of the groundbreaking STEM scholarship program underscore the government’s dedication to fostering education and creating international opportunities for PNG’s talented youth. The government is also exploring more opportunities for PNG students to study overseas in countries such as Hungary, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Indonesia. “We are exploring scholarship opportunities for STEM Grade 12 school leavers in other countries. Indonesia has extended 2, 000 scholarships to PNG students, with non-STEM Grade 12 school leavers being considered for this program.” “We are committed to matching every scholarship offered by Indonesia, doubling the opportunities for young people,” Marape stated. “I want every child who has completed Grade 12, whether through Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) or the regular system, to have opportunities for further education.” This initiative highlights the potential of PNG's National Schools of Excellence to produce students of international standards ready for global academic pursuits.