TEN students from Unggai-Bena District i Eastern Highlands Province are settling well at China’s Three Gorges University.
The students departed PNG shores at the beginning of this month and will undertake various Undergraduate programs at the University.
This program to pursue education abroad is fully funded by the Unggai Bena District Development Authority.
Costing about K388,000, the district commits to give young Papua New Guineans the opportunity of exposure to study overseas and experience different cultures.
The crop of students included in this program are recent Grade 12 graduates and who met the entry requirements of University.
The District aims to send a maximum of 200 students by 2025 to study abroad.
Director of the Unggai-Bena District Education Scholarship, Dr Jethro Messimato expressed gratitude toward the local MP and Minister for Higher Education, Research Science and Technology, Kinoka Feo for the support.
“Our aim is to provide our young people with exposure and opportunities they may not easily access locally,” Messimato said.
“We facilitate the process by helping students identify scholarships, apply to universities and secure placements based on their academic achievements.”
The District also has a Memorandum of Understanding with India’s Parul University with a similar number of students expected to depart soon under this agreement.
In his efforts to ensure that every citizen has access to quality education, Prime Minister James Marape, encouraged and directed the education ministries to focus not only on public schools, but also on private education providers.
He said with the growing population and increasing demand for education, there is a huge potential for private education providers to thrive in our country.
“By giving attention to these institutions, the government can facilitate their growth and provide more opportunities for students to receive a well-rounded education.
Marape said he recognizes the importance of education for the progress of Papua New Guinea and adds that his emphasis on private education providers demonstrates his commitment to creating a strong and diverse education system for all.
On a related note, PM James Marape also said he would like to ease the financial burden of parents who send their children to private schools.
Ramhaga Adventist Primary School is situated in the Huhu Local Level Government of the Alotau District, has received assistance in food and toiletries to the tune of K10,000 from the local district.
These items were presented to the school by the local MP on Monday (7 October), Isi Henry Leonard after a formal request was sent to the district office by the school.
The school, an Adventist Church-run institution comes under Northern and Milne Bay Mission.
The school in recent times has been challenged with insufficient supply of food for their boarding students.
With many students from Samarai-Murua enrolled there, the District had to chip in.
Member for Alotau, Ricky Morris also assisted the school with food supplies, however, that supply has since been depleted.
The school has planted its own garden food but the food is not ready for harvest.
Leonard said despite the school not being under his jurisdiction, it was only right for him to assist because of Samarai-Murua students and that the end of the year exams is underway for Grade 10s’.
“I saw the reports and the requests coming in and the need to support the school. The end of the year is critical as students must sit for their examinations.”
The Samarai – Murua MP also expressed his gratitude to the Member for Alotau Open for his support to the school.
Ramhaga Adventist Primary School Board Member and local mission representative Mr. Lester Toukmai thanked the Member and his team for responding to their calls for assistance.
He says these supplies are enough to take them through to the end of the academic year.
Among the food supplies, the school also requested for two drums of petrol and zoom. The district presented them a total of four drums.
The Minister for Justice and the Attorney General Pila Niningi has acknowledged the work of the Land Commission of Papua New Guinea for its ongoing research on colonial land acquisition at the Bundesarchiv or Federal Archives in Berlin.
This research is a crucial step in addressing the land ownership related historical injustices and will guide future policies to protect the rights of our citizens.
The Minister in a statement says this initiative is an important step towards reconciling our colonial past.
“By thoroughly examining the historical records, we can better advocate for the rights of our citizens and inform our policies to support rightful land ownership.”
The Minister highlighted that the upcoming diplomatic meetings the Land’s Commission will have in Berlin including a scheduled discussion with the Minister of State assisting the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, Katya Keul, is very significant because it will provide a platform to strengthen bilateral ties and explore potential support for the Commission’s work.
Minister Niningi also highlighted the potential for expanding research opportunities at additional archives such as the Geheimes staatsarchiv, the Political Archive of the Foreign Ministry and the Church Archive which will broaden our understanding of this complex history.
“Our goal is to provide comprehensive data that can inform our legislative reforms and empower our communities,” he says.
The Minister went on to thank the Marape -Rosso Government, the German Federal Foreign Office and other diplomatic partners who also came onboard to support the Land’s Commission in its effort to retrieve Papua New Guinea’s colonial land acquisition records from Germany.
He further expressed his gratitude to the commission for their dedication and professionalism in this critical undertaking.
The Minister ussures the public that updates will be provided as the research progresses
The Land’s Commission team, led by Chief Commissioner Molean Kilepak has made remarkable progress analyzing over 25,000 slides from various micro flims, relating to German – New Guinea.
The recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the USAID PNG Sustainable Landscape Program and the Department of Lands and Physical Planning marks a significant step in promoting sustainable land management in Papua New Guinea.
The agreement signing on Wednesday (09/10/24), builds upon previous agreements with organizations such as the European Union and JICA, reflecting a robust international commitment to environmental stewardship.
Secretary for Lands and Physical Planning, Mr. Benjamin Samson, emphasized the importance of a bottom-up approach in implementing the national sustainable land policy, which aims to integrate land use planning at the district and provincial levels.
This initiative not only seeks to enhance the sustainable use of the country’s rich natural resources but also aims to stimulate economic growth and improve livelihoods.
David Sean Burt, the Energy Environment Resilience Office Director, highlighted the U.S. commitment to fostering conservation and empowering women as decision-makers in this process.
By aligning efforts across various sectors, this agreement promises to advance sustainable practices in agriculture, forestry, and land use, ultimately contributing to the preservation of ecosystems vital for climate resilience.
The collaboration underscores a shared vision of sustainable development that benefits both the environment and local communities.
Papua New Guinea fashion was represented on the global stage in Russia at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit held from October 3 – 6 in Moscow.
Over 180 countries were represented at the prestigious event.
The Fashion Summit culminated in the formation of the BRICS International Fashion Federation.
Representing PNG, Ms Philma Kelegai the Founder and Managing Director of PNG Fashion Week said it was such a great success to be part of the Federation.
Fashion associations from more than 50 countries joined the BRICS International Fashion Federation.
It aims to establish new centers of influence, and strengthen international ties to improve the industry’s sustainability and provide emerging designers with a platform to grow.
BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India China and South Africa.
The BRICS+ Fashion Summit in Moscow provided industry leaders from manufacturing countries like China, India and Indonesia to share their experiences while others from Malaysia, Argentina and France discussed opportunities among participants.
The highlight of the Summit was the Heritage Exhibition where designers showcased their work. Fashion Week specialists spoke at this event discussing the unique challenges and opportunities that contributed to nation building.
Speaking at the ‘Fashion from Afar’ Segment of the summit, Ms Kelegai promoted and marketed Papua New Guinea as a fashion tourism destination.
She said, “with our rich culture and heritage we are in a unique position to showcase fashion through the lens of a thousand tribes.”
Wandid Amini Korimbo, owner of Niugini Native designs (centre) and Elizabeth Omeri of Denani Designs (Second from right)
Fashion is a thriving business in PNG, a number of indigenous designers use local designs to create their unique style.
Ms Kelegai added, ‘this is our strength and our fashion designers are our ambassadors, they will tell our story and the world wants to experience the final frontier of fashion.”
Papua New Guinea Fashion week is scheduled for September during the country’s 50th Independence anniversary in 2025.
Meanwhile on the other side of the Atlantic, two PNG designers, Denani Design’s Elizabeth Omeri and Niugini Native’s Wandid Amini Korimbo returned this week after attending a fashion show in Utah, United States.
Held from September 21 – 29, 2024 the event was hosted by Creative Pacific Foundation.
The show held a panelist and workshop session where designers from the Pacific discussed their work.
The PNG Designers promoted two unique parts of PNG.
Mrs Korimbo, spoke on culture and tradition while Ms Omeri launched her eco-printing collection and spoke about sustainable fashion.
The Minister for Education and Member for Gumine, Dawa Lukas Dekena, recently made a significant announcement declaring Waigani Christian Academy as an institution to facilitate teacher training for Early Childhood Learning.
He said this declaration highlights the government’s commitment to improving the education sector, particularly in the training and development of early childhood educators.
With this new status, the academy will be able to offer specialized courses and programs tailored to equip aspiring teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively educate and shape the future generation.
WCA Founder Benjamin Mul, pointed out that this move by Minister Dekena is a significant step towards enhancing the standard of early childhood education in the country and ensuring that every child receives a solid foundation for their academic journey.
The Minister’s commitment to allocate five million kina towards ensuring that early childhood teachers are adequately trained before being sent out for their mission is a crucial step towards improving the quality of education for young children in the country.
“This investment will not only benefit the teachers by equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge, but it will also have a positive impact on the development and well-being of the children they will be teaching.
“Properly trained early childhood teachers play a vital role in shaping the early years of a child’s education and setting a strong foundation for their future learning,” Dekena said.
Prime Minister James Marape announced that his government will be looking at relieving some financial loads of parents who send their children to private schools.
During a speech at the Waigani Christian College recently, Marape said they should have a scheme come next year 2025.
Marape expressed his gratitude to all the parents who have always prioritized their children’s education by enrolling them in privately owned educational institutions.
He acknowledged the sacrifices that parents make in order to provide for their children with a better education and promised to support them in their efforts.
The PM said the government will be implementing a scheme to provide assistance to those families who send their children to private schools, as they often have higher fees compared to public schools.
He emphasized that the government’s goal is to ensure that all children in Papua New Guinea have access to quality education, regardless of whether they attend public or private schools.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that the government will be reviewing their policies and budget allocations in order to make this plan a reality by the year 2025.
He assured the parents that the taxes they pay will be utilized to support their children’s education.
World Coconut Day was held from the 3rd to the 5th of October at the Sir John Guise Indoor complex in Port Moresby.
It was hosted by Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK), the regulatory body of the Coconut Industy in PNG. World Coconut Day is an event of the International Coconut Community made up of coconut growing countries.
There are 21 coconut growing countries globally and each take turn to host World Coconut Day annually.
PNG played host to this year’s festival with guests from member countries invited to participate and interact with stakeholders especially small to medium enterprises who showcased their products at this event.
Gwen Jerome, Owner of North Coast Farmers
Among the SMEs was North Coast Farmers from Milne Bay Province.
Owner Gwen Jerome has a coconut plantation and has been in business two years running.
Gwen began producing coconut products after being introduced to the idea by KIK.
“I own a plantation. I started without funds because these are downstream products. I sell then branched out, I spend to make money. I make products such as coconut milk ice cream, soaps, oils and essence.”
Another passionate producer of coconut products is 55-year-old Josephine Kinoli from Manus Province.
She started her business in 2002 buying coconut oils in bulk from village women then repackaging and reprocessing for sale.
Like Gwen, Josphine’s company, Manus Coconut Product and Services is a booming business, specializing in 14 various product lines of skin care and hair products.
Josephine Kinoli, Manus
She has also diversified the business to include other plant products such as Tumeric, Noni and Moringa.
Back in the 90s, Josephine worked at the Kulili Plantation on Karkar Island in Madang.
At the end of her stint, she returned home to Manus in 2000 and decided to put her knowledge to good use.
By 2005 she generated enough funds to purchase land, build a home and have a place to produce coconut products.
In diversifying her business, she praised God for the wisdom and blessings that has helped her develop the ideas for her ventures.
On marketing, this is what she had to say, “we don’t advertise, our products promote itself, one customer buys and spreads the word.”
The family run business supplies to Harbourside and Seeadler Bay hotels in Manus and the general population, while around the country, Josephine takes orders through shipping and DHL Services.
Stalls at the World Coconut Day event.
Gwen and Josephine like many other SMEs who showcased their products at the World Coconut Day were able to do so with the backing of Kokonas Indastri Koporesen.
An important component is ensuring they meet the national standards of producing quality products for consumption this includes packaging and branding.
KIK continues to provide training and financial literacy to rural communities across the country especially for farmers and plantation owners.
KIK is encouraging them to participate in order to achieve the country’s Medium Term Development Goal 4 – To grow PNG’s GDP to K200 billion and create one-million jobs.
Balthazar Winjowa has never been more optimistic about his family’s future then today.
After undergoing training with the EU-STREIT PNG Programme to revive cocoa in Wanwara Village of the Turubu LLG in East Sepik Province, where he comes from, the 33 year-old says he’s life has changed completely.
Along side the materials that the EU-STREIT PNG provided, Baltazar was also privileged to undergo bud grafting training, learned proper pruning techniques and studied cocoa fermentation and processing.
“I learned how to conduct pruning and bud grafting,” he explains. “I now train other farmers in my Village and show them how to manage their cocoa blocks.”
The training and tools started paying off.
In the first half of this year alone, Baltazar harvested 7,300 kilograms of wet beans which yielded around forty bags of dried beans.
He says that the trees just started bearing fruit and he is seeing production increase.
“With the support from STREIT, we are harvesting beans with no Cocoa Pod Borer (CPB) infestation,” He says.
The improved quality of Baltazar’s cocoa has opened new doors for him and his fellow farmers.
With the support of the programme, he had the chance to send his cocoa beans to the Queen Emma Chocolate factory in Port Moresby where they were evaluated for quality.
“STREIT came to my Village and sent samples of my cocoa to Queen Emma. I got a WhatsApp message on my phone saying that I have high-quality cocoa,” he recalls with pride.
His success also led to an opportunity to meet an Overseas buyer from New Zealand.
With the help from STREIT, Baltazar was able to attend a factory presentation with Queen Emma Chocolate, where he met the lady buyer from New Zealand.
“She said if I pass the quality standard, she will visit my Village to sign a contract to supply one tonne of dried cocoa beans per year,” he says.
For Baltazar, this journey has transformed not only his business, but also his family life.
With the money that he earned from cocoa, he has been able to provide more for his family.
His eldest daughter is currently doing grade 9 at Yarapos Secondary School, and Baltazar is committed more to supporting her education.
“My formal education stopped at grade 8 and my wife went as far as grade 9 because of school fee problems,” says Baltazar.
He wants his daughter to go to a business college and return back to manage their cocoa farming as a business.
With the support of his wife, Baltazar is looking ahead to plan big for his future with his cocoa farming business.
