By Bradley Mariori
At a challenging time when peer pressure and petty crime are on the rise in Papua New Guinea, a secondary school in Morobe Province is quietly addressing the problem through sports.
Markham Valley Secondary School, located along the busy Highlands Highway in Markham District, has for the past 10 years been running an organised weekend sports program aimed at keeping its boarding students safe, engaged, and focused.
The initiative was born out of concern from school leaders who saw the risks posed by the school’s location, where students could easily be drawn into negative social activities outside campus during weekends.
Instead of allowing idle time to become a pathway to trouble, the school turned weekends into structured competition days.
Its part of the school’s academic activities linked with assessments. Strictly only students and staff including their families are allowed to participate with the students.
Students take part in soccer, rugby, basketball, and volleyball including dart competitions.
Teacher in charge of sports, Mr. Ken Kaiban, said the program is more than just games it is about shaping behaviour and guiding young people towards responsible living.
“We are dealing with real social issues affecting youths today.
This program keeps students occupied and reduces the chances of them being influenced by drinking, unnecessary socialising, and petty crimes,” he said.
Beyond keeping students within school grounds, the program has also become a pathway for development.
It has nurtured talent and created opportunities for students to pursue sports at higher levels.
One of its success stories is Judabi Assar, now playing for Hekari United Football Club in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League.
Assistant sports coordinator Douglas Gionandang said the school administration continues to prioritise the program through annual funding, recognising its role not only in student welfare but in long-term community development.
“This is not just about sport. It is about building better citizens and giving young people direction,” he said.
However, he stressed that more support is needed to sustain and expand the initiative.
“We are calling on stakeholders and potential sponsors to partner with us.
Investing in programs like this is investing in the future of our youths and our communities.”
As social challenges continue to impact young people across the country, the school’s decade-long initiative stands as a model of how grassroots solutions can drive meaningful change one weekend game at a time.
