By Jim John
Students attending the Oksapmin Secondary School in the Telefomin District of Sandaun Province will now be accessing new school facilities.
These facilities worth K38.4 million include hand washing water taps, seven staff houses, two double classrooms, three dormitories, three ablution blocks, administration building, library and a science laboratory.
It was built under the National Government’s Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme (ITCS) and implemented by Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) and its business partners.
Minister for Works and Highways who is also the Member for Telefomin, Solan Mirisim, Minister for Education and Member for Usino Bundi Jimmy Uguro, Minister for Finance and Planning and Member for Finschhafen, Rainbo Paita, Chairman of Public Works and Kokopo MP, Ereman Tobaining Junior, Deputy Secretary Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Roger Kara, and Executive Management representatives from Ok Tedi Mining including Ok Tedi Development Foundation (OTDF) went to Tekin valley within the district to witness the opening of these facilities.
The infrastructure project of Oksapmin Secondary School, located in the Tekin valley, about 76 kilometres from Telefomin District, was approved in 2010 at a project cost of K26 million with implementation beginning in 2012.
However, due to several issues such as landowner disputes, logistical challenges, weather, landslips, the 2015 El Nino- induced drought which impacted OTML’s operations, and COVID-19, the completion of the project was prolonged.
Despite these setbacks, OTML and its business partners completed the project to ensure students in Sandaun Province are educated.
OTML’s Acting General Manager Community and Operation Support Jesse Pile, said these new school facilities will continue to provide opportunities for more young men and women to be educated.
“Ok Tedi will continue to work with the National Government, Provincial, District, and Local Level Governments, and other stakeholders to deliver such projects that will change the lives of people,” he said.
Minister for Finance and Planning and Finschhafen MP Rainbo Paita, committed K1 million towards the funding of a new computer lab for the students to use.
Local MP Solan Mirisim also committed K3 million to the Secondary School and K1 million each to Oksapmin High School and Bak High School respectively.
The member further announced that Telikom PNG will be installing a new communications tower in the Tekin valley.
This will support the implementation of ICT Infrastructure at the school by PNG DataCo.
OTML thanked its various business partners involved in building the project which include Tabubil Engineering, Milum Investment, Lotic Bige Ltd, Hausman Builders, KERACS, Heli Niugini, Hevilift and the Ok Tedi Development Foundation.
