Delay in school year blamed on bad road

By ROSELYN ELLISON
A school in the Ambunti-Deikikir district, East Sepik, is blaming the poor condition of the road leading to it for the delayed start to its academic year.
The Drekikier High School will begin classes this week.
Principal Frederick Mahisu said the poor road condition had been a major problem for the school since its establishment 12 years ago.
He said the administration found it very difficult to transport goods, supplies and building materials to the school.
Mahisu said they had made several appeals to the authorities to have the road upgraded but nothing had been done.
“Our concern now is our students and teachers, some of our teachers cannot make it on time for orientation week because of the bad road condition,” he said.
He said only this year the national government, through the Department of Education under its road maintenances programme, had allocated K100,000 for the upgrading and maintenance of the 2km road from Nanaha junction to the school.
The provincial education administration awarded the road upgrading contract to Green Hill Investment Ltd.
Mahisu said work was expected to start by the end of next month or early April.
A concerned parent was impressed with the infrastructure development taking place at the school.
Peter Ulapapik, the head teacher at St Joseph’s Primary School in Ambunti, said on behalf of the parents and guardians of students he would like to thank Mahisu for giving the school a new look.
“We are looking forward to working with the new administration under the leadership of Mahisu,” he said.