East Sepik driving school turns out graduates

EAST Sepik police traffic chief James Japele has challenged graduates of a driving school in Maprik to be responsible drivers.
He said a vehicle “is like a machine gun, it can kill if not handled properly”.
Japele was speaking at the graduation of 72 students from Maprik, Wosera-Gawi, Yangoru, Dreikikir and parts of West Sepik who graduated at the Apinagi Driving School last Tuesday after completing three months of basic driving lessons.
He said the traffic section was proud to be associated with the driving school since its humble beginnings last year in Wewak.
He said police had helped with driving notes that were being used to teach student drivers.
Japele told the students after graduation they would undergo a police test to confirm their ability to confidently handle vehicle before licences would be issued.
He said there were no short-cuts to obtaining licences as those “who go through back door often end up in trouble due to careless driving”.
Testing officer Thomas Mani received Japele’s blessing to test the drivers and issue licences instead of the students travelling to Wewak after graduation.
Apinagi Driving School director Alex Karifia and wife Ruth said they decided to extend the training to Maprik this year following requests from PMV owners in the Central Sepik area who wanted to drive their own vehicles instead of em­ploying drivers.
Maprik Wora deputy local level government president Rex Tamanjambi commended the Apinagi Driving School for setting up the school in Maprik.