Bougainville school opens new facilities

A new double classroom and teachers’ quatrers for Gagan Primary School in Buka opened last week.
The facilities are part of the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership which promotes improved education opportunities in the community.
The school has played a role in the education of some of Bougainville’s more prominent individuals, including Bougainville’s Minister for Community Development and Member for Peit Josephine Getsi, and former Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, the late Dr Alexis Sarei. He was also North Solomons premier.
Minister Getsi said: “I am so pleased to be here today to see my old primary school upgraded with these new facilities. We have a long history of education at this school going back to the 1950s’ missionary school origins.”
Gagan Primary is one of 18 schools in Bougainville which will have new infrastructure provided. More than 1200 new primary school places will be created when the work is completed.
Andrew Egan, the a Australian High Commission’s Minister Counsellor, said education was vital for poverty reduction, economic growth and social stability.
“PNG and Australia have a shared commitment to education – access to education for all children, especially girls,” he said.
“We are focused on reducing barriers and encouraging girls and boys to attend and stay at school.
“These new facilities create an environment conducive to quality teaching and learning, which will benefit staff and students”
Evangelyn Ratsi and Ferdinand Rohen are the head students at Gagan Primary and were certain that their studies would benefit from the new classrooms.
They are working hard to achieve their own goals, while continuing the school’s tradition of education and aspiration. Evangelyn wants to be a doctor and Ferdinand aims to be a pilot.