School grows to reach top 10

ST Charles Lwanga Secondary in Port Moresby started in 2007 has grown from strength to strength to be among the top 10 schools in the country since 2011
It was started at the request of the district education board to cater for the needs of the increasing number of grades nine and 10 students.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Port Moresby accepted the challenge and invited religious brothers and sisters to take care of the school administration.
This school is registered under the education system with funding from the Education Department, parents and donations.
In 2007, 108 students were enrolled to grade 9 with three expatriate and six national teachers.
Today the current student population is 677 (317 males and 360 females).
The current principal is Br Joymon Mathew from the congregation of the Montfort brothers of ST Gabriel.
St Charles Lwanga is still in its developing stages, however, the students have all the learning facilities available.
When it first started there was no infrastructure facilities.
Today it has good classrooms, science labs, computer lab, staff room, subject department offices, well maintained sports field and 16 teachers are provided with accommodation.
In 2016, the status of the school was raised to upper secondary and this years, it has the first batch of Grade 12 students that will be sitting for their exam.
The construction of physics and chemistry lab is progressing.
Year after year, Grade 10 students of Charles Lwanga have been performing better and better with more distinctions and credit in the national exams.
Last December, the school was among other top 10 schools in the country to have scored well in the examination when it received a certificate of academic excellence from the education secretary.
The school aims at empowering the students to achieve excellence through hard work.
Some short-term goals of the school are to get more infrastructure facilities and more staff houses.
The school anticipates to convert to a technical secondary by introducing couple of technical trade courses to students who are academically weak.
Since its inception, the school is strict on its policies which is fully supported by school board and parents .
Matthew said the school administration was successful in good performance because of the commitment and handwork of the student, teachers, and full support of the parents.
He said the effeort invested was tremedous for the school.
“We remain grateful to all individuals and organisation who have supported the school one way or another.”