Hela primary school reopens

 PARA Primary School in Hela has opened its doors allowing students to have access to formal education.

The school located close to the Hides Gas Conditioning Plant, was allowed to deteriorate and closed as teachers left their teaching positions and took up well-paid jobs with contractors on the PNG LNG project. 

Most of the staff houses were also taken over by local landowners.

Hides Gas Development Company Ltd (HGDCL) in consultation with local leaders took the lead in rebuilding the school and the school will soon be opened to accept new enrollments.

HGDCL assisted with the refurbishment of classrooms and teachers’ houses and purchased materials and books.

HGDC Ltd also placed advertisements in the newspapers to recruit qualified teachers.

The head teacher and the teachers will move into the school once all accommodation has been completed.

HGDCL general manager John Gourley said the rebuilding of the school has been achieved in a very short period of time.

“As an umbrella landowner company, owned by the shareholders who are landowners in the project area, we are pleased to assist in reopening the school to ensure vital educational services reach our landowners.

“Our assistance will ensure the children have access to good quality education and see themselves as contributing meaningfully to the development of the Hides area.