By ANDREW ALPHONSE
PORGERA Joint Venture (PJV) Ltd has gone out of its traditional areas of operations in Enga and parts of Southern Highlands when it yesterday presented keys of a new double classroom to Tega primary school outside Mt Hagen in the Western Highlands province.
The presentation coincided with the school’s 4th grade eight graduation ceremony where about 110 students graduated.
The double classroom was built at a cost of K130,000 under the tax credit scheme.
PJV community affairs manager Ken Vincin in making the presentation said PJV believes that education is a sustainable development and thus the classroom would go a long way in contributing to the development and future of the country as a whole.
He quoted a saying from famous South African leader Nelson Mandela that ‘education is the weapon to change the world’, adding that Africa was currently struggling because of the lack of education.
Mr Vincin said though PJV was based in Enga, the decision to build the classroom in Tega was because PJV staff have a residential area at Kagamuga while the company leases a facility at Tega as a transit base to ferry its supplies from Lae to Porgera.
Mr Vincin said the support by the local community to the company was also another reason why PJV decided to help the community.
Along with the classrooms, PJV also presented 40 students’ desks, two Tuffa water tanks and teachers tables valued at about K21 000.
It took Tapai Builders of Mt Hagen 12 weeks to build the classroom starting on Aug 20 this year.
Mr Vincin was also impressed with the appearance of the school, adding that it was one of the well administered and organized schools he had ever visited.
He commended the headmaster Mr Wane Rae for making public the school’s financial report during the graduation.
He said this was the first time ever that he had heard a headmaster make public the school’s financial status.
He said this was what transparency was all about.
School board chairman Thomas Kop thanked PJV for its kind gesture and assistance to the school on behalf of parents, teachers and students.