Education sector in Sepik electorate to receive K2.5mil, MP Maru says

 THE education sector in the Yangoru-Saussia district of East Sepik will receive K2.5 million by the end of this year.

This was announced by the Minister for Trade Commerce and Industry and MP Yangoru-Saussia Richard Maru during a weeklong visit to schools in his district this week. 

Maru said government’s first priority was education.

“My plan over the next five years is to allocate a total of K10 million to education in my district,” Maru said. 

He said past leadership only allocated K400,000 to the education sector.

Negre and Paparam Primary Schools in the Numbo LLG were the latest recipients of funding totalling to K100,000. Both schools received an initial K10,000 early this year and this week were given K50,000 each to construct their school facilities like libraries and classrooms.

On Sunday, the minister visited the people of Witipe and Koro in the Sepik Plains of  East Yangoru LLG and presented a cheque worth  K760,000 which would go towards the construction of a new health centre and roads.

Maru also visited Sekoro village in the Saussia LLG on Monday and made funding commitments to education and roads – K10,000 for an elementary school in the village and K1 million for  roads and a bridge.

“After 38 years, a highway will be built from Hambuke to Munji village,” Maru said.

A report by the District’s Education Services Survey team revealed that a number of schools had no teachers.

Acting district administrator, Fantson Yaninen said these schools had been receiving subsidy funding without providing education services. 

“There are allegations that the board members of these schools have been surviving from these subsidies while the children have been deprived of education,” Yanien said.

“We also found that one teacher is leaving in Lae while being on the payroll of a school in the district.

“Once the report is completed, we will raise the alarm.” 

Meanwhile the Kanauki University Centre is expanding its operations into all LLGs in the district.

Kanauki University Centre director, Brian Waranduo announced that plans are in place to construct sub centres to cater for the scattered student population of the district.