Elementary schools in Digicel competition

ONE of 21 elementary schools funded by Digicel Foundation is set to become K10,000 richer by the end of the week.
Digicel Foundation and its panel of four judges began visiting schools in Port Moresby, Mt Hagen, Goroka and Lae.
The judges are Ginigoada Bisnis Development Foundation facilitator Wendy Kenwal, Barakau Elementary School head teacher Tessie Timah Haroharo, National Capital District education inspector for elementary schools Idau Negesa and Department for Community Development first assistant secretary Leo Kulumbu.
They were accompanied by Digicel Foundation’s senior programme manager Meghan Sullivan  and project coordinator  Naus Kamal as well as logistics support and volunteer Dadi Toka Junior.
After visiting eight NCD schools, the team travelled to Mt Hagen where they visited the elementary schools in Avi, Biapuri, Keltiga and Rebiamul.
They later travelled to Goroka last Saturday where four more schools were judged, and later on to Lae to visit the Busu Compound, Busu Road, 2-Mile City Mission, Duna Elementary and Bumbu elementary schools.
The judges will later tally their scores to see which schools walk away with the first prize of K10,000, second prize of K5,000 and K3,000 third prize.
The schools or community learning centres (CLC) were judged on the environment, good judgment and ownership of the classrooms.
For the first time, Digicel is launching the “CLC of the Year” competition, which pioneers new and exciting ways to work with and encourage sustainable and positive development for communities.
The CLCs are containers or small kit structures where the community can meet and run education programmes and they are more than just a building.
They are the heart of the communities to serve one of the most important functions of all, which is to provide education to children.