Closed school reopens with eight new teachers

By ERIC PIET
MOREHEAD High School in South Fly, Western, is set to be fully functional this year after staffing capacity, a reason for the school’s closure last year, is boosted, says an official.
District education appointments officer Malanga Towalo said the school staff were fully housed, with eight qualified teachers, six of whom are field-teachers and two new graduates from the University of Goroka.
According to Towalo, the newly established school (in 2017) could not allow its pioneer grade 10s to sit the national examinations last year due to its suspension in term three that culminated from the lack of teachers, facilities and funds.
“There were only two teachers taking the 300-plus students last year, both grade nine and 10 could not deliver as they were limited by teaching materials, facilities such as library and science lab, and money to fund rations for boarding students,” he said.
“The school now has fully housed teaching staff and the provincial government has allocated K1 million to fund the construction of facilities and to run the operation of the school.
“We anticipate that no disruptions will happen again as the school is now funded to see it through to the end of the year.”
Towalo said that the school’s grade nine would double as it will be a combination of repeating students and new intakes, while grade 10s would be the repeating batch from last year, with the school’s total number expected to be 500.