Company donates portable desks to three rural schools

Having enough desks for every students in rural schools throughout the country is a problem.
Students often resort to using pieces of wood or cardboard to put their exercise books on and write. Often, the priority is given to the upper primary students.
Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture (WGJV), through its education partnership programme, identified the need and came up with desks which are portable, user friendly and educational at the same time.
WGJV launched the Tutudesk initiative at Wonkings Elementary School in the Babuaf area of Huon-Gulf District, Morobe, last week.
Developed in South Africa through the Desmond Tutu Tutudesk Campaign Centre, the Tutudesks offer children their own workstations.
Made from a robust child-friendly polymer, Tutudesks are designed to last for years. The desks feature the alphabet, multiplication table, a ruler, PNG national anthem and pledge and the PNG map.
Teacher Jack Ngandang, of Babuaf Elementary, said that in order to achieve positive change in the community, every stakeholder need to be involved in education.
“The parents, teachers, company and the government need to work together. We must try our best to implement quality in the classrooms. Let’s stand together as one for the interest of our schools and we will see positive changes in the village,” Ngandang said.
WGJV community engagement coordinator John Maran said the desks were great tools for the students.
There were 115 Tutudesks distributed to the three elementary schools.
Eight-year-old Elementary 1 student from Madzim Elementary, Cecelia Karo, was happy to get her desk. “The multiplication table and alphabet on the desk makes it easier for me to see and learn.” she said.
WGJV head of external relations David Wissink said the company has been contributing towards education in the area for the past eight years. WGJV will distribute 2000 more Tutudesks in the coming months.