Mekeo school opens new facilities

By DULCIE OREKE
THE St Francis of Assissi Inauabui Primary School in Mekeo, Central, yesterday celebrated the opening of a new double classroom valued at K195,000.
Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and Kairuku-Hiri MP Paru Aihi, who was the keynote speaker, commended the Catholic church for its contribution towards the classroom project.
He said without the collaborative effort of the church and the state in filling the “gap”, the project could have taken longer to complete.
He said the project was a show of the success of a public-private partnership. 
Aihi called on parents of students attending the school to get their priorities right by ensuring that school fees were paid and students were attending classes.
He said as future generations, students would one day take care of their parents.
Aihi reminded students to work hard to become professionals and not labourers.
He announced he had big plans for higher education.
He said one of his plans was to see church-run universities and nursing colleges “amalgamate” to ensure students had easier access to completing their studies. 
Mekeo-Kuni council president Simon Ake urged parents to pay their school fees.
He said if communities could spend on costly activities such as bride price, then they should do likewise for the education of their children.
While challenging the school to take ownership of the building to “see it bear fruits”, Ake told the people how important education was.  
A pleased school head mistress, Victoria Efi lauded the efforts of all contributors to the construction of the building. 
Students yesterday put on different cultural performances from around the country to celebrate at the occasion.