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Education

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Education

Perseverance to Improve Education

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Herman Namora, 21, is a 3rd-year student studying Literature at the University of Papua New Guinea. He is from Madang and is passionate about the importance of education.

Having made it thus far to the highest learning institution prompted him to help those less fortunate.  He was concerned about so many Grade 8 and 10 school leavers pushed out of the education system with no hope of advancing their career paths and returning to the village where social issues impacted their way of life.

His concerns started back in 2019 after completing Grade 12. He had returned to the village during the holidays to find out that one primary school had enrolled 60 Grade 8 students only to pass out 13 while 47 were back in the village.

 This scenario experienced in most rural schools persuaded Herman to do a survey with primary school teachers. The teachers expressed concern that students struggled with English and faced difficulties with reading and comprehension.

Herman Namora meeting with Teachers during his survey.

Herman decided then to help in any way he can. He gathered young adults in the community and conducted awareness on the importance of early childhood learning. With the help of the Catholic Diocese and Madang Teachers College, 14 school leavers were taught Phonics to be able to return and serve their communities.

Their work is voluntary and for two teachers who returned to Dallam they faced challenges such as setting up a classroom and sourcing materials coupled with ethnic clashes which hindered the progress of their teaching but all was not lost, the community realized the keen interest in learning by children aged 3 to 5 years and decided to build a classroom.

After two years and sheer determination, the first batch of graduands from the Early Childhood Learning school will be certified at the end of this month.

There is still more work to be done but excitement is in the air for Dallam village as they prepare for graduation day.  For Herman and the teachers, all the work is voluntary and they hope to seek funding for learning materials and reading books for the children.

The first batch of students. The classroom was built by the community.
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Education

KTF Strengthens Partnership for 2023

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The Kokoda Track Foundation, Kina Bank, and the Motu Koita Assembly have renewed their partnership for the ongoing operations of the Motu Koita FODE Center in 2023.

The announcement of the Strengthen Partnership was made today at the Motu Koita FODE Center.

The FODE center is operated by an international development organization, the Kokoda Track Foundation, and funded by Kina Bank.

The partnership began in 2020 and has seen an annual cohort of over 100 students pursuing a second chance at Education through this center.

Motu Koita Acting CEO Gaud Frank acknowledged this partnership saying FODE centers are an important program in the education system.

“I am happy to see this partnership renewed today, and guarantee FODE services to continue in Motu Koita Villages,” the acting CEO said.

Kina Bank CEO Greg Pawson says their purpose is to continue to improve the prosperity of the people, communities, and markets they serve, and they are very happy partners.

“This Partnership aligns with our purpose and delivers tangible outcomes that can only benefit the people of Papua New Guinea,” Pawson said.

The Kokoda Track Foundation has established various FODE centers and education programs in various provinces.

When announcing this strengthened partnership, KTF CEO Dr. Genevieve Nelson announced plans to create more space for elementary school teachers to upgrade their qualifications.

She said the need for FODE and second-chance pathways are critical.

“Teachers are required the upgrade their qualifications, and there are new minimum entry qualifications required to gain entry into Teacher’s College as well as other tertiary pathways.

“We are proud to work with so many committed people from the Motu Koita Communities and give them a second chance at education,” the KTF CEO said.

The FODE center offers grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 studies to students who wish to upgrade their education, in the hope of pursuing further studies in the fields of teaching and health.

The grades 9 and 11 students are now preparing to sit their mock exams, and they will be sitting for their final examinations later this month.

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Education

Girls School Welcomes New Infrastructure

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Students attending the Mary Immaculate Girls Technical Secondary School in the Gumine District of Chimbu Province are proud recipients of new school facilities.

The new facilities will support more girls every year from Chimbu and the surrounding highlands provinces to access high-quality technical and vocational education and training, improving their skills and broadening employment opportunities in the future.

A 76-bed dormitory, staff housing, student and staff ablution blocks and upgrades to facilities throughout the school were funded through the PNG-Australia Partnership Program at a cost of K6.4million.

The new classroom facility was built under the PNG-Australian Partnership Program

“Empowering girls through education benefits everyone, not just the students. It means they can choose their own career paths and support themselves, their families and the community,” said High Commissioner Philp.

Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso said the Government is a strong supporter of empowering women and girls under the Take Back PNG Policy.

“It is important for our daughters to be educated too just like our sons,”

“Infrastructure such as this will provide more beneficial programs,” Rosso added.

The project also included procurement of new laptops, and sewing machines and training for girls in basic office administration, skill management and financial literacy.

“We are changing attitudes about what girls can do and empowering girls to believe in themselves and their abilities, fulfilling the school’s motto, ‘Empower to Serve’,”

“We are grateful to the PNG-Australian Partnership for helping us to achieve this goal and reach even more girls every year with these important opportunities,” said Sr Regina Anthony, the School Principal.

The facilities were opened by Australian High Commissioner Jon Philp, Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and Gumine MP, Dawa Luckas.

Students attending the Mary Immaculate Girls Technical Secondary School in the Gumine District of Chimbu Province
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Education

Electronic Library for CHW School

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Rumginae School of Community Health Workers (CHW), in Western Province, recently celebrated the opening of its new E-library facility.

It was completed at the cost of K73 000, co-funded by Vega Industries, an Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) supplier, and Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF).

The interactive e-library has over 30 million resource materials that will benefit the students and staff.

School Principal Amos Kupaloma in his remarks, said the shortage of community health workers and access to health services has always been a challenge for Western Province.

“We are trying to raise the standards of health facilities, and the school’s aim is to prepare more Community Health Workers to serve in these health facilities,” Kupaloma said.

The Principal said training competent CHWs with the vital skills and knowledge, will contribute to quality and cost-effective Primary Health Care services to rural and urban communities, thus fulfilling the PNG government’s National Health Plan.

He was grateful to the school’s Board of Directors, and development partners who have contributed to having this facility completed.

OTML Board Chairman Dr Roger Higgins, who was the guest of honour, was pleased that developments were taking shape in rural areas, and the school is using technology to enhance teaching and learning.

“I commend the school administration for bringing the CHW School this far, since its inception in 1976, and the current development will be valuable in teaching and training future professionals in medicine,” said Dr Higgins.

Dr Higgins encouraged the school to look after the facility and make good use of it.

The new E-library is part of its capacity building, to enable the CHW training school to become a Nursing College.

The school intends to commence its Nursing Diploma program in 2023.

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Education

School Fee Program Working in Samarai-Murua

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On his recent trip to Sidudu, Sariba Island in Milne Bay, Samarai-Murua MP and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Isi Henry Leonard had the opportunity to meet a teacher who had been sponsored through the Samarai-Murua Tertiary Students School Fee Assistance Program.

This program is part of his district’s initiative in assisting and addressing the education sector in Samarai-Murua.

After the independence program which had coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Sidudu Primary School, in which Minister Leonard had delivered the keynote message, a Grade 4 Teacher at the Primary school approached him and his team to introduce herself.

To his pleasant surprise, Minister Leonard was informed that Miss Hazel Gwa is a product of the tertiary students’ school fee assistance program in the last term of parliament.

Miss Gwa, a 26-year-old from Panaeati island, west of Misima Island, had completed her studies at the Dauli Teachers College in Dauli Valley, Hela Province.

She spent two years from 2016 to 2018 before graduating with a diploma in primary school teaching.

In her first posting after graduating, Miss Gwa was sent to East Cape Primary School on the eastern tip of mainland Milne Bay in 2019.

In 2020 she was posted to Patnai Primary School, southwest of Misima Island, Samarai-Murua District.

From 2021 last year to this year 2022, she has been at the Sidudu Primary school on Sariba island. Her tenure expires next year in 2023.

Miss Gwa completed her grades nine to ten from 2012 to 2013 at Misima High School before attending Wesley Secondary School on Fergusson Island in Esa’ala District to do her grades 11 and 12 from 2014 to 2015.

She expressed her gratitude to Mr Leonard and his team for giving her an opportunity to complete her studies and become a teacher.

Like Miss Gwa, there are many graduate students across the district who had successfully completed their respective programs and are now helping the people of Samarai-Murua.

This is something Minister Leonard envisioned when he became a member of parliament in 2017 and is determined to continue to assist many more students through the program in this term of parliament.

The Minister encouraged her to continue to strive and serve the people of Samarai-Murua.

He was impressed with the number of success stories of students who had come out of the school fee assistance program and highlighted the need for continuous support in this sector, especially at the tertiary education level.

Minister Leonard pointed out the importance of education for all children in his district and many youths who had missed out on further education, as he was determined to create opportunities for them.

This he said would generally build social intelligence across the district to create a smarter, more informed, creative, skilled, and reliable community to meet the demands of change.

Adding that the school fee assistance program helped ease the burden on many parents who struggled with school fee issues.

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Education

PNGTA Expresses Concern

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The Papua New Guinea Teachers Association (PNGTA) is taking the Education Minister, Secretary and Teachers Service Commission to court following non-compliance with a four-month court order that’s not being complied.

PNGTA National President Aita Sanangkepe said the court had ordered their inclusion in the discussions of the National Education Board, National Capital District Education Board and Provincial Education Boards.

“I’ve directed my lawyer this morning to take contempt proceedings against these people named because there is a court in place,” Mr Sanangkepe said.

He continued, “There’s a national court order in place to allow us PNTGA to represent teachers in Papua New Guinea (in) all education boards”.

The Union representative for the Teachers said for unknown reasons the court order of May 27, 2022, wasn’t implemented and it was frustrating.

“Court order is Court order, no one is above the law,” Mr Sanangkepe said.

The union is also crying foul over the National Education Department and Teaching Services Commission for its failure to publish the Education Gazette for the third consecutive year.

The Education Gazette is important for teachers when it comes to:

  • Applying for a position within the school they are teaching in,
  • Applying for a teaching position in another school,
  • Applying for a position in another district or:
  • Applying for a position in another province.

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Dr Uke Kombra in response said it is now incumbent on the PNGTA to appoint their representatives and submit them to the Education Minister’s office.

“The Minister appoints the NEB after each rep of stipulated organizations submits names with CVs. The CVs are assessed to determine a nominee’s fit and proper status by the department,” said Dr Kombra.   

Furthermore, the Minister has recently resumed duties and the matter will be addressed if the Union has made its submission.

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Education

Students Miss Out on National Written Expression Exam

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Morobe’s Program Advisor for Education, Keith Tangui told Inside PNG that more than two hundred
students from two Secondary Schools in Lae didn’t sit for their National Written Expression Exam on
Monday due to continuous fights along Lae’s backroad area.

Keith Tangui, Morobe’s Education Program Advisor.

Tangui said the fight was believed to be caused by election related violence along the backroad area and
Bumayong.

This prevented the students of Malahang Technical Secondary and Bumayong Secondary
school from attending classes.

Mr. Tangui said the students who didn’t sit for the exam have to report to the Principal of the schools
and to the Board of Governors in order to have a position reserved for next year.

Tangui said the students have the right to education, therefore they shouldn’t be rejected by the Schools.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Education Advisor called on the communities to refrain from fighting and
respect the students’ education and school infrastructure.

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Education

Koiari Park Secondary Receives new e-Library System

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Koiari Park Secondary

BSP Life PNG Limited (BSPL) has donated two new computer sets and three Wi-Fi-routers to Koiari Park Adventist Secondary School, with access to free e-learning material to supplement the knowledge and skillsets for these students.

BSP Life PNG, a licensed life insurer and subsidiary of BSP Financial Group Limited, handed over an e-library set up worth K30, 000, under the BSP annual community initiative.

With this e-library, students and teachers at Koiari Park Adventist Secondary School can access Resource books , Copies of old  PNG exam papers, Encyclopedias/Dictionaries, Crash Courses,  Wikipedia, Reading books Motivational videos & video tutorials, Microsoft office Training and teachers can upload assignments, notes and other important documents for students to download or access at any time without an internet connection.  

Students and teachers can also connect to the e-library through Wi-Fi access, without requiring internet access.

“Education is one of the most important investments a country can make in its future and part of that starts here in our schools, in the classrooms and in libraries. School libraries provide opportunities for students to think, create, share & grow. They can be a hub of learning, bridging the digital divide and making a difference in the lives of students. Our students are the leaders of tomorrow and it is important they get the best education possible,” said BSP Life PNG Country Manager, Nilson Singh.

“When access to education and learning grows, the ripple effects on communities and countries is remarkable. While we stand as a corporate organisation, each of our staff is a part of a community. I hope that through our contribution today to Koiari Park Adventist Secondary School, it will empower learners, inspire and make meaningful change for current students and future generations as well,” added Singh.

Koiari Park Adventist Secondary School Principal Sailas Wagi thanked BSP for providing them with this much needed educational tool.

“Thank you for the tremendous donation that seemed small but worthy for the school especially teachers and students in boosting their learning, capacity” Mr Wagi said in tears.

BSP has delivered 529 community projects since 2009, worth over K13.39 million. This year, 2022, under the theme ‘Health and Education’, BSP handed-over 11 community projects from the 49 projects proposed by each of our Branches and Business Units.

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Education

Lihir School Celebrates National Book Week

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National Book Week

The National Book Week theme for 2022 is ‘’Choose Your Destiny – Read”.

Lihir International school joined schools around the country in the first week of August for a series of fun and educational activities to celebrate National Book Week. It featured a costume parade by primary school students who dressed up in their favorite book characters.

The Upper primary and high school students also participated in a Book Week writing competition.

Lihir International school is situated in the Londolovit township of Lihir, New Ireland and provides quality education for children from residential families working for Newcrest Mining, its business partners and community groups.

Speaking at the parade, organizer Mrs Elizabeth Daimoi encouraged the students to read a variety of books including both fiction and non-fiction books.

Students dress up in costumes for National Book Week
Children dress up in costumes to celebrate National Book Week
Little girl dresses in Mermaid costume to celebrate National Book Week

‘’Develop the habit of reading – it will help you make wide decisions on your lives and the kind of person you want to be in future.” Mrs Daimoi told the students.

National Book Week is an annual event that encourages schools to focus on reading and its importance.  Lihir International School places a strong emphasis on reading and provides opportunities for reading through an easily accessible library.

The school also runs whole class, groups and one-on-one reading sessions that ensure students receive appropriate help to improve and enhance their reading.

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Education

Suspects Arrested Over Kimbe School Arson

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ON the eve of year 12 mock examinations, the Administration building of Kimbe Secondary School in West New Britain was burnt to ashes.

Students and staff and woke up in shock this morning.

Seven arson suspects have been arrested by police and are currently held at the Kimbe Police Station cells.

According to a source in Kimbe, the seven were rounded up by police following eyewitness reports of arson in the early hours of this morning.

From reports, the main school administration building was set alight by the suspects. The fire started at the administration kitchen then extended quickly and engulfed the whole building.

“The whole administration block is down to ashes,” said the Chairman of the School Board Management Steven Raphael. I can’t understand why anybody would go out and deliberately do this. It’s the nerve system of the school. That is where all the record of the school is kept. Records for students, staff and school,” said Raphael.

The suspects also lit fire at a nearby Grade 10 classroom but boarding students managed to put it off.

The fire truck was called but was too late. Firemen attempted to stop and control the fire but couldn’t. The help of the second fire truck only managed to extinguish fire and stop it from spreading.

Authorities are now establishing the reason why such act of arson is committed.

A female student said its shocking. “We now very concern that important documents are gone. Exams are nearing and we are not sure how the school administration will decide on”, said a student.

This morning Kimbe Secondary School Principal George Areng and the Board Chairman addressed students during assembly. He expressed sadness over the incident but encouraged students to maintain focus. Areng reiterated that authorities will ensure those involved are dealt by the law.

Principal Areng also confirmed that the Grade 12 Mock Exam will proceed.

Meanwhile the student body demanded the school administration to stage a peaceful protest in Town today but were discouraged. Chairman Raphael appeal for peace stating it’s an unfortunate incident.

He said the Board will work with Police to ensure justice hails.

“Staging a protest is not right now, there is counting (2022 NGE in town and opportunist might stir riot,” added Mr. Raphael.

I’m hoping this is not election related. We are a school. What do we have to do with the election? Its shows that there is a sick society of humans out there taking out their frustration on an institution like,” said Chairman Raphael.

Police have begun investigations into this matter.

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