Dei school gets NZ aid grant

ENGKAL Primary School in Dei district, Western Highlands province, received a New Zealand aid grant for the second time over the weekend.
A cheque for K25,448.02 was presented to the school’s board by project coordinator Fred Rocky.
Rocky said it was the second cheque presented to the school through the same aid agency.
He challenged all young children to give priority to their education, saying greater developments would be brought into the community if more people were educated.
More than 800 students and 20 teachers thanked the New Zealand government for building a double classroom last year and two duplex teacher houses this year.
“The school is located in the heart of two biggest tribes in Dei district; the Kombolga and the Minimbi, with more than 15,000 people receiving help from a developed country like New Zealand for the first time,” school board chairman Komati Wamp said.
“Engkal Primary School for the first time receives more than K100,000 from a foreign country like New Zealand and we, the people from the 13 council wards in the electorate who benefit from the school, thank the New Zealand government and the people of New Zealand for their continuous support,” Wamp said.
“NZAID gave more than K75,000 last year for the double classroom and now they have supported with K25,448.02 for two duplex houses for the teachers.
“This is something we, the 15,000 people including the 800 students and 20 teachers, never expected from New Zealand,” he said.
Headmaster David Kurai said the help from New Zealand was a great relief for a school that had half permanent houses and classrooms for teachers and students.
Kurai said the school was established in the early 1980s without proper teachers’ houses and classrooms.
He thanked project coordinator Rocky, a young leader recently graduated from the University of Papua New Guinea.