Elementary school begins year with new classroom

ELEMENTARY school children from the Cape Wom village on the west of Wewak, East Sepik, will resume classes today in the comfort of a new double classroom.
This was opened by Wewak rural local level government president Francis Hevu last Friday.
A commitment of K10,000 was also made to assist the school purchase uniforms and other learning material for the pupils who now move on from an old church building which they called “school” for the last two years.
“For any government services to come to your village, there must be a school and I am excited you have worked hard over the past two years for this achievement we are wit­nessing today,” Hevu said.
“Education is the key to development and I urge you parents to support your village councillor and school board of management to nourish this school, so that it stays on for many years to provide the foundation for our children to progress onto higher learning institutions, including universities.
“Because you have captured the government’s attention with this project, I will now make a further commitment to build you an aid post to take care of the student population and the entire Wom village,” Hevu announced.
He said cheques would be released to them when the account at the Treasury opened in about a month.
Wewak district education adviser Mathew Muriki also praised the village leaders for their hard work and perseverance over the years to reach the status of an established school this year.
“You’ve worked hard for it, take ownership of the school by continually supplying material and enough children to uplift the school’s standard.
“When we have more educated people in one area, there will be plenty of development because education brings development,” Muriki said.
The school started with K425 for the project and completed the new classroom at a cost of more than K20,000 with labour provided by locals.