By Theckla Gunga – EMTV News, Wewak
A maintenance program in a secondary school, with over 700 students in East Sepik Province has proved to be successful for over ten years.
Mercy Secondary School Principal, Alex Marcus, says Mercy’s internal maintenance program had sustained the refurbishment and extension of the school’s infrastructure.
Under this program, the school has renovated its 16 classrooms, converted the old halls into state-of-the-art double story dormitories and built a three-story high hall and air-conditioned rooms, the size of a football field.
With only 25per cent of the 2018 Tuition Free Fee Fund, released to Mercy, the school administration is strictly managing the K275, 000 given by the National Government to keep the school running.
Principal Marcus, who served as principal for over 10 years, says the school administration appreciates the continuous funding support from parents since term one, this year.
Marcus says the school is self-reliant, with students growing their own food through agricultural lessons.
Academically, Mercy is ranked in the top 10 schools for Grade 10’s performance in the national Exams and in the top 20’s for grade 12s.
Established in 1963 in Torembi Village, along the Sepik River, by Mercy Catholic Sisters, it was moved into Yarapos, just near Wewak in 1965.
The school has graduated thousands of young women over the 55 years of its establishment.
