Education opportunity is every child’s right: Official

By SAMANTHA KATI
CHILDREN and youth in Papua New Guinea deserve the same opportunity as the youths in other countries whose education begins in kindergarten and goes until Grade 12, says a church leader.
Fr Martin Prado, IVE, of Catholic diocese in Vanimo, West Sepik, who is in charge of the building of new secondary school project in Waramo village told The National that every year, only about 50 per cent of grade eight graduates were accepted into secondary schools in West Sepik.
“That’s when it was clear for me that if we have more high schools, we will create more space for students to complete their education,” he said.
Fr Martin said another reason for building the school was because it was a part of the charism and spirituality of their religious order, Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), to evangelise the culture specifically through education.
“The IVE fathers and SSVM sisters have been moving the project forward with the help of many good and professional people of the Vanimo West Coast and would not be able to do it without their hard work and support,” he said
Fr Martin said it will be the third secondary school for Vanimo and the diocese has been working closely with both the National and Provincial Education Department to implement the standards–based curriculum (SBC) in the school once it is completed.
He said the school will open in 2024 purposely to serve villages along Vanimo West Coast area but it is not restricted to students in other areas.
“We still have a long way to go before having everything in place for opening in 2024,” he said.
Fr Martin said another 12 classrooms, about 40 teachers houses and an administrative building are needed.
“This is a large project, capable of making a great impact on society and on countless individuals, so assistance from the provincial government is needed to complete the project,” he said.