By Rayon Lakingu – EMTV News, Port Moresby
The Kokoda Track Authority has teamed up with Kokoda Track Foundation to deliver a scholarship program for children along and around the Kokoda Trail.
The scholarship program is to help fund project fees for primary and elementary school students.
KTA interim Chief Executive Officer, Julius Wargirai said this program is designed to assist students in the critical stages of their learning.
The scholarship program was launched at Sogeri Primary School in central province, with the first batch of recipients present.
The scholarship program, an initiative of Kokoda Track Authority, aimed at easing the financial burden on families who mostly rely on subsistence farming and the trekking industry.
There are plans for this scholarship program to extend to other areas of Kokoda, along the border of Central & Oro Provinces.
“We are supporting parents at Primary Level only because it is the foundation of education for our children,” Julius Wargirai KTA interim CEO.
He said, this scholarship program is part of their community development initiatives to help communities in these areas.
Mr Wargirai said most schools in the remote part of the Kokoda track do not receive their TFF on time, and the failing school infrastructures are always a challenge.
In this scholarship Program, the Kokoda Track foundation will facilitate the payment of all scholarships, and working with all schools on their expenditure of scholarship funds.
KTF CEO Genevieve Nelson thanked all key partners that have worked together to ensure students of Kokoda have access to basic education.
“We are thrilled to partner with KTA on something so important as education,” Genevieve Nelson said.
Sogeri Primary School was the first to receive its component of scholarship program over the weekend.
The Head Teacher thanked the two organisations for this generous funding saying it will be a great relief for parents.
