Four new high schools for Madang

THE Education Department has registered four new high schools in Madang to begin enrolling students next year.
Provincial education director Moses Sariki said the schools would ease space-pressure problems for this year’s Grade 8s.
The four schools are Anul High on Karkar Island,  Simbai School in Simbai, Middle Ramu,  and Saidor and Megiar Catholic Primary Schools being  upgraded.
The schools on the pending list to be registered were Sumgilbar in Sumkar district, Ramu Valley in Gusap, Saussi in Usino Budi and Annaberg in Middle Ramu.
Sariki said Madang MP Nixon Duban had proposed that Panim Seventh-day Adventist Primary School and Asuar Primary School in Madang district take on Grade 9s as well next year, but did not know if they had funding to make that happen.
He commended the Simbai people to go ahead on their own and build schools.
The burning down of Aiome High School early last year forced Simbai and Middle Ramu students to split and build their own education facilities.
Sariki said funding was a problem for the department.
He said they would be relying on each MPs of the district to help with funding.
Spaces for Grades 9  and 12 used to be an annual issue for parents and teachers.
He had raised concerns last year saying over half of the total number of Grade 8 students in Madang who were eligible to continue to Grade 9 would not, because there are no spaces available in existing schools.
Sariki said: “Of the 7392 Grade 8 students who sat for examinations in Madang, only 2619 were given a space and 4773 were left out because of no space.
“This is like 35 per cent of those who met the requirement will continue and 65 per cent required continuing will not because of limited space.”
Sariki said the problem for Grade 9s would be a relief for them with the four registered schools.
He however said the Grade 12 spaces would be another challenge for the province.
for the province.