District assists students

Youth & Careers

STUDENTS from the remote Telefomin attending three tertiary institutions in Lae, Morobe, have been assisted with school fees by their district development authority last Thursday.
Twenty-five Telefomin students attending Balob Teachers College received K76,000 as part payment of school fees.
The district’s students attending National Polytechnic Institute of Papua New Guinea received K11,000 and the PNG University of Technology (Unitech) K25,000 respectively.
The school fee assistance is part of a scholarship programme from the office of the Telefomin MP and Forest Minister Solan Mirisim.
Balob Teachers College deputy principal (administration) Jack Hawap said it was difficult for institutions to depend on government departments responsible for education.
“I acknowledge the efforts of local MPs who sponsor their students,” Hawap said.
“We need to support our human resource, especially those in schools, who will be serving the rural areas.
“With teachers, no one will waste money because they will go back to serve the people.
“West Sepik needs development, and it is good that we are developing the human resource sector who will serve in that province.”
He said the district’s scholarship programme started in 2013 through a memorandum of agreement with Balob Teachers College.
Telefomin electoral officer Delun Dentavi said over the past six years, the district had produced more than 50 teachers who were currently teaching in the district’s remote schools.
“Teaching vacancies in Telefomin District is a thing of the past, all the vacancies are filled,” Dentavi said.
“We are thankful that Balob Teachers College has contributed to that.”
He said the assistance would continue and urged all students to concentrate on their studies.
Unitech Telefomin student representative Freddie Taran thanked Mirisim for relieving the financial burden off parents.
However, he urged the district to increase the assistance as school fees have also increased this year.