BY JOY OFASIA
At the opening of the 2025 School Principals’ Conference held at the Lecture Theatre, Panatina Campus in Honiara, the Minister of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD), Hon. Tozen Leokana highlighted the many challenges faced by school principals across the Solomon Islands.
His remarks touched on the pressures of school leadership, the realities of life in the classroom, and the struggles faced by students and teachers alike in a changing, and often unequal, education system.
“Although the Solomon Islands has a relatively small education system compared to other countries, the challenges you face as school leaders are significant and complex,” Hon. Leokana said.
He stressed how principals take on many roles beyond education.
“Being a school leader is hard work and time-consuming. You wear many hats—supervisor, evaluator, policy holder, conflict arbiter, public relations exponent, counsellor, health worker, and custodian of workplace and classroom culture,” he explained.
The Minister acknowledged that the demands of the job often leave little time for personal life.
“I know that heavy workloads often take away time from your families and leisure. Teachers and principals are often the first to deal with student behaviour and rising expectations from society,” he said.
A major issue raised by Hon. Leokana was the lack of access to upper secondary education.
“According to the recently released 2023 Performance Assessment Report, of the estimated 20,000 children who begin their educational journey at the basic education level, only a small fraction eventually makes it to senior secondary school,” he said.
He described this as a “severe bottleneck,” pointing to limited classroom spaces, high dropout rates, and affordability issues as key barriers.
The Minister also expressed concern about poor student performance, especially in mathematics and science at Year 9 level.
“The Ministry is concerned and will soon undertake a thorough investigation to determine the underlying reasons for students not performing at the expected standard,” he said.
Hon. Leokana highlighted a major challenge in the age of technology: the gap in access to digital tools between rural and urban schools.
“The difference in access to ICT is wide and deeply concerning. Many rural schools still have no internet connectivity or the technological tools needed for modern education,” he said.
He warned that this gap affects not only students’ learning but also principals’ ability to access training and collaborate with others.
Another issue he spoke about was the growing number of social problems affecting students.
“Principals are contending with increasing social and behavioural challenges among young people,” Hon. Leokana said. “Truancy, substance abuse—including the use of illicit drugs, smoking, and betel nut chewing—bullying, and early dropout rates are becoming more common.”
He acknowledged that many principals are forced to act as counsellors and social workers, often without proper support.
Despite the heavy challenges, Hon. Leokana praised the dedication and resilience of school leaders.
“Despite these daunting challenges, I am encouraged by the remarkable resilience and commitment you have demonstrated,” he said. “And I want to assure you that the Government, through the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, is not blind to these realities. In fact, we are investing strategically to support you.”
The 2025 School Principals’ Conference ends today, offering an important space for school leaders to share ideas, seek support, and find ways to overcome the many challenges facing Solomon Islands’ education system.
