Juha College embraces yoga

The National Weekender

BY JOE GURINA

DESPITE recent criticisms in the media of the NCD governor’s Yoga and Walk for Life programme, Juha College TVET Secondary School has invited Governor Powes Parkop to launch the programme there last Tuesday. Director of the school John Sekewa saw the importance of the yoga programme to changing his students for the better.
Speaking at the small but rousing ceremony held at the school’s campus opposite Monier Concrete at 9-Mile, Governor Parkop revealed some important values of yoga in his remarks while launching the programme.
Speaking as a human rights lawyer, Parkop voiced his passion to see human beings improving their lives rather than seeing infrastructure or physical change only as development. He said physical developments were only there to make human lives better and since independence there has been so much emphasis on infrastructure and little on human development as a whole. He argues that Papua New Guinea would not reach its full potential unless there is a drastic development made in addressing bad behaviour and ethics.
Parkop said human development specifically in persons was not considered and this contributed to the appalling behaviour and antisocial conduct in communities. He said in his third term in office he would focus on developing people’s mindsets through education in all schools in the city which needs addressing.
He praised the Juha Colege TVET Secondary School, through its director John Sekewa for taking the right path in participating in the life and fitness programme.
“We have been building infrastructures for a long time now but what we forgot was human development. Development doesn’t only come in building infrastructure. We have failed to build human development.
“So the programme in yoga is very important. It is a programme that nurtures good habits,” Parkop said.
“It helps change the mindsets by keeping the body fit and healthy. And the mind develops gradually and you start to respect your health.
“When we start to developed that, then we start to respect our own body, health, community, infrastructures, our province and our country,” Parkop said.
“Development starts with you,” he told the attentive students of Juha College.
“When you start respecting yourself, your body and health, you make a difference in this sense.
“In my third five-year term, I will be focused on building more secondary schools. I started off with Koiari Park Secondary School and the turnout is very promising.
“Gerehu Secondary, Tokara Secondary and Charles Lwanga Secondary in Gerehu are other schools that have gone through development phase. Some of these schools have gone through the yoga programme and it has been very promising for them,” Parakop said.
“Now I am very proud of your school for accepting the programme.
“This programme will help in promoting health and physical wellbeing of all the students. It will improve the education quality in every aspect,” Parkop said.

  • Joe Gurina is a freelance journalist.