BEDP goes to Markham

MARKHAM district in Morobe has become Mamose region’s first recipient of the Australian government’s basic education development project (BEDP) support under AusAID.
Four primary schools received nearly K900,000 for school infrastructure, maintenance grants and capacity building.
A total of K414,756 was allocated for four double classrooms and K376,720 each for four teachers’ houses, which was K103,689 and K94,180 respectively, to Waritsian, Zumara, Mutzing and Ngariawang primary schools.   
The four schools also received K20,000 for labour costs.    
Zumara, Mutzing and Ngariawang received K3,730, K6,980 and K1,330 respectively in maintenance grants.
Another school not included in the programme, Zumim Primary School, received a K10,000 support grant.
Local MP Konnie Iguan, through the provincial education office, had allocated another K3,000 to each of the schools for resources.
The infrastructure support was for the distribution of 154 English, Mathematics and Social Science textbooks each for Grades 6, 7 and 8 which BEDP provided to the schools earlier this year.
Mamose BEDP coordinator Hasson Romaso said Markham district, through the provincial education division’s infrastructure committee, was chosen to be the venue for the programme’s pilot project in Morobe and the region.
Romaso said the BEDP projects in Markham were set with a communitybased approach by all stakeholders including the national and provincial governments, the district and the communities.
The next AusAID BEDP projects in Morobe would be delivered to Tongso primary school on Siassi Island with one double classroom, one staff house each for Hompri and Wampit primary schools in Bulolo and a double classroom for Zumim primary school in Markham Valley.   
The Australian government had allocated approximately K24 million for BEDP programmes throughout the country.