Karkar Secondary School in Madang Province has graduated more than 1, 000 grade ten and twelve students despite facing a number of challenges this year. Principal Annie Dorea, says among other problems, the school has been facing accommodation issues and cannot bring in more teachers to teach. Despite the case, Karkar Secondary school has managed to complete its academic year with a graduation ceremony on Sunday.
Karkar Secondary school is one of the main schools in the Sumkar District of Madang that produces many of the district’s human resource.
Sunday, marked another milestone for the school as it graduated more than one thousand students of grades 10 and 12.
Invited to attend the graduation was the Member for South Bougainville and Communication Minister, Timothy Masiu and Sumkar MP, Chris Nangoi, along with the Provincial Administrator.
Principal, Annie Dorea, told invited guests and graduating students, that Karkar Secondary school needs more teachers to teach at the school, but there are no houses to accommodate them.
Dorea also highlighted the school’s water problems.
They are currently using a water tank to ease the burden of walking long distances to fetch water whenever they run out.
In addition, the school has also experienced delays of TFF payments which has affected the school’s operation most of the time.
As most of the funds go to food and fuel to do pick up and drop-offs of students. For these, the school cannot cater for further developments in the school.
“We have a problem at hand, and the problem we are experiencing currently, it’s to do with teacher’s housing. Now because we do not have enough teacher’s houses, we cannot cater for all the teachers,” Principal, Annie Dorea stated.
Member for South Bougainville, Timothy Masiu, who spent his childhood days growing up on Karkar Island, also committed K50 000 towards assisting the school to set up its E-learning library, which is part of Mr. Masiu’s donation towards the school’s 50th Jubilee.
Mr. Masiu also made a commitment to build a double classroom for Miok Primary school, of which he was a former student at.
“I will come and officially open the classrooms during the 50th anniversary.” Mr. Masiu declared.
Local MP, Chris Nangoi, also made a commitment to the school to help address some of its problems, presenting the school with a new school truck to address its transport problem.
By Martha Louis – EMTV News, Madang
