by Vasinatta Yama, EM TV – Port Moresby
Kaluwe Primary School in the Ialibu-Pangia district, Southern Highlands Province, has been operating with few infrastructures for a long time.
A local contractor has built a permanent classroom for the school at their own expense.
Recently, their local MP, Peter O’Neill, gave an additional K600,000 to Kaluwe Primary School, and neighboring Poloko Primary School, to build more permanent buildings.
Ialibu-Pangia MP, Peter O’Neill and Fisheries Minister, Mao Zeming, recently visited Kaluwe Primary school for the opening of their new classroom.
Under the District Services Improvement Program Fund, or DSIP, Mr O’Neill presented K250,000 to Kaluwe Primary to build more permanent classrooms and teachers houses.
The school currently has 325 students, and only 6 teachers.
In addition, Minister Zeming gave K100,000 to the school.
Poloko Primary School has also received K250,000 under the DSIP funds, to improve their learning facilities.
Lead researcher in the National Research Institute, Dr Arnold Kukari, said the government’s free education policy has paved way for an increase in the enrolment of students each year.
In terms of achieving universal basic education, this has ensured that there is an increase in the number of girls attending schools.
However, Dr Kukari said the question still remains on the quality of education.
Schools are facing similar problems of over-crowding, and the number of teachers are outnumbered by students.
This has made schools to continue to find ways of raising additional funds.
Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, has announced that he has secured funding from the District Services Improvement Program Funds to resolve issues caused by Tuition Fee Free Policy.
Meanwhile, Mr O’Neill engaged a solar company to provide free safe electricity, initially, for schools and teachers houses in his electorate.
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