School dropouts get a second chance

STUDENTS who drop out of school get another opportunity at vocational centres like Limana in Port Moresby.
Last Thursday, 280 students graduated from Limana, with 128 passing grade 10, and 152 graduating with skills training certificates.
Limana Vocational Centre manager Sister Maria Goretti Leison said some students managed to find work after completing courses through the centre’s Flexible Open Distant Education (FODE) programme. Twenty-five of those students are now working in the hospitality industry.
Sr Maria said the centre runs courses that include on-the-job-training leading up to national certificates 1 and 2.
“We also have extracurricular programmes that started in 2015 where students take part in the school’s talent show,” she said.
“Education through learning also helps the students to realise their mistakes and choose the right path to move forward.”
Limana Vocational Centre offers courses through FODE for grades 9 and 11. Skills training courses include tourism and hospitality, office administration, garment
production and commercial cookery.