Dear Editor,

I also wish to share a few thoughts on the above subject.

I think Joyce's concern regarding the need for local institutions to recognise Solomon Islanders with appropriate knowledge, skills and experience in their respective fields is an important one. We need to build our trust and confidence in our own people and take pride of their qualification and expertise.

Equally important is the point raised by Victoria that SICHE need to recruit "good quality" lecturers, regardless of where they come from. I should like to think that SICHE strives to recruit lecturers who have both a strong knowledge base, and sound teaching experiences in their field of expertise, if it is to improve on the delivery of its programmes. If the recruitment of the expatriate concerned suits these criteria, and followed SICHE's recruitment procedures, then I see no need for concern.

In this connection, I do not deny the fact that we have some teachers and lecturers in our country who are not passionate about their teaching roles, and who need to be reminded somehow. However, we also need to recognise and commend those effective teachers and lecturers who continue to produce excellent results despite current prevailing circumstances that may impede on their performances.

The labelling of local SICHE lecturers as "lousy", which means useless, worthless, stupid or horrible, may have resulted from Victoria's previous encounters with particular SICHE lecturers. But, this does not call for Victoria to label those local SICHE lecturers as such. I certainly do not agree with the use of such words to describe what the quality of local lecturers might be like, because such terms are demeaning, to say the least.

Nonetheless, if indeed, Victoria is voicing a general perception that students have regarding the quality of teaching and learning at SICHE, then that's something that the SICHE management need to be concerned about.