by Bridgette Komatep – EM TV, Port Moresby
Sophia Totona Foundation, an NGO group based in Lae and Kainantu has set up an initiative to award best performing students at Wawin National High School.
Wawin National High School is one of the five national high schools in Papua New Guinea.
The schools are located in Morobe Province, however, cater for students from Kainantu as well as other provinces.
Wawin National High School, or the ‘School of Excellence’, recently held its graduation day.
As the name suggests, the speeches centred on excellence in student performance in national secondary schools.
In recent times, universities and colleges have been struggling to offer a high standard of education to students and graduates, or give students the skills they need to join the workforce or do further research.
Studies have shown that about 28,000 out of an estimated 800,000 college-aged population, are enrolled in the country’s 32 declared technical and higher educational institutions. This means that while the government tries to provide more spaces at universities and colleges, students must work hard to make it through to the existing tertiary institutions.
It’s with this in mind that Sophia Totona Foundation set up an initiative to award the best academic student. And for this year, the ‘Dux of the Year’ was given to Grade 12 student, Nangore Samuel.
He received an Ipad valued at K500. At the request of the school’s Governing Council, Totona Foundation was approached to award the best performing student. The founder and executive director of Sophia Totona Foundation, Berldon Timah, said it was one way of encouraging students to excel in their studies, and also to give back at the community.
The initiative is an annual event that will continue into the future.
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