BY CAMPION OHASIO – DIGITAL CREATOR
THE MONC withdrawn!!…Now it’s time to get to the drawing board. The GREAT Coalition Government announced a flagship Universal Free Education Policy. Under this policy, the government promises to progressively eliminate tuition fees.
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗻
The Heavy Backpack (“School Fees”): The father is shown struggling uphill while carrying a giant, heavy bag labeled “School Fees.” This represents the heavy financial burden that parents currently carry when paying for their children’s education.
The Radio Broadcast (“MONC NOW WITHDRAWN!”): A Motion of No Confidence (MONC) against the Prime Minister WALE and his GREAT government was withdrawn paving the way for the GREAT to continue its work.
The Father’s Pijin Thought Bubble: The father expresses relief: “Phew!!! Mi jias breath nao ia!!!… Mekem govt. garem weight ia more!!!” (“Phew!!! I can finally breathe now! Let the government carry this heavy load instead!”). This illustrates the public’s expectation that the government should take on the financial responsibility for school fees instead of struggling families.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹 & “𝟮𝟱-𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻” 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿: The father is walking up a steep, rough road toward a school gate marked “Universal Free Education: 25-Year Plan”. This signifies that achieving full, high-quality, free education across the country is a long, difficult, and slow process.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸: The slow-moving turtle at the bottom symbolises the slow pace of implementation and raises doubts about how quickly and effectively the policy can actually be delivered.
The cartoon conveys that while parents are relieved by the promise of free education, transferring the massive financial burden from everyday families to the government is a long, complex, and steep road ahead.
