Member of Malekula Constituency Hon. Micah Oliver has voiced strong support for the Harmful Digital Communications (Amendment) Act, while calling for urgent reform in Vanuatu’s national education curriculum to address the growing digital knowledge gap among children.

Speaking during parliamentary debate, Hon. Oliver, a former ICT teacher, highlighted that current syllabuses do not include ICT or digital ethics at the primary level, with formal teaching only beginning in Year 11.

“Our children are engaging with the internet from a very young age, yet they reach senior secondary school with no understanding of online behavior, safety, or digital ethics,” he said. “This gap from Years 1 to 10 leaves them vulnerable to online harm.”

He stressed that alongside policy changes, there must be a strong push to educate students and communities about responsible internet use. “We must create a safer digital environment by teaching our children the code of conduct of the internet from an early age.”

Hon. Oliver’s remarks supported the broader goals of the amendment bill, which aims to tackle online threats such as fake identities, pornography, and cyberbullying, particularly affecting youth, girls, and women.