The Morobe Provincial Executive Council has formally directed the Provincial Administrator to implement a set of recommendations which include directing schools to expel students involved in Friday’s clash in Lae.
About 20 men, women and children were hurt when the bus, they were travelling in, was stoned by Lae Secondary School students. The provincial executive council has also come down hard on the Education Board, saying the board has been complacent.
A public motor vehicle was ambushed by students from the Lae Secondary school. None of the passengers were spared. The windows were smashed. At least one passenger was shot in the abdomen by what they said was a spear gun. Another suffered a dislodged eyeball. A passenger, a child about 2 years old, received cuts and bruises to her face. She was also taken to hospital.
Andrew Evaere, one of the oldest passengers on the bus was stoned on the head. A spear fired from a Newsmade weapon, missed him by several inches.
The Morobe Governor was angered by the incident when he witnessed part of the fighting. He has taken the matter to the highest decision making body in the province – the Provincial Executive Council (PEC). After an urgent meeting late into the night on Monday, the PEC issued several directives to the provincial administrator to implement by Friday. High on the list of priorities is the expulsion of all Bumayong and Lae secondary school students involved in the fighting. The PEC decision came about four hours after a public apology was released by the Lae Secondary School principal, Chris Raymond, who expressed that the incident was unfortunate and regrettable.
The PEC describes the approach as a “No Tolerance” approach to school fights, pornography, alcohol and cult related activities. It is the same approach announced by the Lae Secondary School, at the beginning of the school year.
While Public anger mounts, a member of the board of one school, says the problem isn’t as simple as it seems. Sam Gani is a village court magistrate who has been involved in efforts to resolve the school fights at the Malahang Technical school. He says very little is understood about student organizations and the culture of violence. The third term is when the changeover of group leaderships occurs. That is when potential group leaders in upcoming grades begin the violent contest for control.
What’s also disturbing is that parents have little knowledge of what their sons and daughters do in school and the groups they’re affiliated to. On Friday, some parents were caught by surprise when their children were arrested.
Morobe PEC Issues Orders To Expell Students
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