Classroom a dream come true for pastor

A pastor who started his dream of educating people in his community at Talai settlement in Badili, Port Moresby, has achieved his goal with the completion of a new classroom.
Pastor Bai Koivi’s story of building a community learning centre from scrap materials was first reported in The National in August 2015.
Now he has a two-storey classroom to teach pre-school, kindergarten and adult literacy classes — thanks to Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko who funded the classroom.
“I’m not a millionaire or a businessman but I want to help my community by teaching the young ones and getting them prepared for the mainstream schools and also help educate the illiterate adults in my community,” Koivi said.
He said they have three classes in the mornings for children aged three to 12 and evening classes for adults.
Koivi said more than 80 people have enrolled for the adult literacy classes, 40 of whom are primary school students.
Koivi said his community learning centre has been named the Children of God Learning Centre and while it has enrolled many students it was still a challenge to keep it running.
“In the last two years, we had voluntary teachers from within the community as the learning centre does not generate income to pay teachers,” he said.
“And this year, we have some volunteers from World Vision who have come to help teach the children because they have the heart to help.”
He thanked Tkatchenko for his support.