Finschhafen community welcomes new distance learning centre

THE Babuso community of Sopa Valley in ward 13 of the Yabim-Mape local level government in Finschhafen, Morobe, welcomed the opening of its flexible open distance education (Fode) centre.
Provincial education examination supervisor Michael Gerson said: “Education is a masterpiece, a light to development for our children and our future.
“Today, we are all proud because this community is the first to set up a Fode centre in Finschhafen, it is historical.
“This Fode centre is way ahead with the standard-based education system in Papua New Guinea.
“All high schools will collaborate with Fode as we bring Fode rural.
The founder and coordinator of the Fode centre, Nome Tabe, who funded and built the centre, said it would serve the children of the Finschhafen and Nawaeb because of its central location and his teaching staff were volunteer teachers and not on the payroll of the Education Department.
“When starting classes, the staff will sacrifice without any pay,” he said.
“The question is, who will pay our salaries as in the formal education sectors because we are in the non-formal education sector?
“The school is operating under the national education Fode and not the provincial or district Fode.
“The centre has 111 students in classes from grades 9 to 12.
“We are short of school materials and office equipment.”
Finchhafen MP Rainbo Paita said with Tabe setting up the centre, the district development authority would take ownership of the institution.
“I congratulate Tabe that with the knowledge and skills he gained as a trained teacher and educationist, had started this centre to serve his people and we will take ownership,” he said.
Paita said K100,000 was committed to support the Fode centre with funding allocation included in the district’s budget and will source extra funds for additional infrastructure.