Isikiel distributes K2m for new scholarship scheme

 By PISAI GUMAR

INVESTING to nurture children at early stage in life to read and write is crucial to set foundation in developing one’s life for a better productivity in community and society in future.

Markham MP Paul Isikiel was critical about lack of human resource capacity in the district by investing almost K2 million in education.

Isikiel, who is also Minister for Housing and Urbanisation, launched an educational scheme titled ‘Paul Isikiel tertiary scholarship and educational infrastructure development programme’ on Monday.

The monies were to pay 50% of the student fees in 20 tertiary institutions nationwide, build classrooms and dormitories at Markham Valley high including infrastructure development at primary and pre-schools.

Tertiary institutions were:

l Balob Teachers College  – K11,000;

l Divine Word University – K10,500;

l Gaubin Nursing College – K2,150;

l Goroka Technical College  – K13,275;

l Highlands Agriculture College – K6,600; 

l Mt Hagen Technical College – K1,635;

l Martin Luther Seminary – K3,000;

l Pacific Adventist University – K24,000;

l PNG Polytechnic Institute  – K24,200;

l Port Moresby Business College – K3,755;

l Popondetta Agriculture College – K1,313.50;

l Ramu Technical School – K2,375; 

l Sonoma Adventist College  – K21,000; 

l Telikom Training College – K18,465; 

l Umi Vocational Centre – K13,800; 

l University of Technology  – K13,800;

l University of Natural Resources and Environment – K14,400; 

l University of Goroka – K21,500; 

l University of Papua New Guinea – K59,547.50; and 

l Vudal University – K7,500.

Classroom and dormitory building was allocated K501,000 that Hardware Haus will erect the buildings while K690,000 was for all primary and pre-school infrastructural development.

District education administrator Henry Mileng and high school deputy principal administrations Billy Kayo were impressed with MP’s initiative to launch the programme.

Mileng said the initiative had relieved the burden from parents and shed light into empowering students to commit and achieve the best for the district in future.

Kayo said the school catered for 1,320 students this year compared to 900 in previous years, accommodating students in seven male and six female dormitories and 22 classrooms – still overcrowded.