K50,000 needed to finish dorms

A REMOTE vocational school in West Sepik is in dire need of K50,000 to complete the construction of its two dormitories for boarding students.
Lumi Vocational Centre manager Adrian Saun said construction of the dormitories had stalled due to lack of funds.
“We presented our submission to the district administrator, in the presence of the education minister, for a K50,000 budget last year to complete the male and female dormitories but have had no response,” he said.
Saun said construction of the dormitories started in 2014 and were now incomplete.
“The female students are now using one of the teacher’s houses,” he said.
“We believe one of the causes of the delay is the failure of the previous management in 2015 to acquit.”
The Aitape-Lumi administration (DDA – district development authority) gave K100,000 to build a new dormitory for girls but the school administration at that
time decided to build two dormitories.
“When I came in 2017, I tried to complete the buildings,” Saun said.
“So I asked the district development authority and they told me to acquit the funds.
“So, I manage to collect a few of the receipts and invoices and submitted the report and was then assured with funding in that year.
“But nothing happened, so I made another submission again in 2019.
“I was posted to this school in 2017 and up till now, the school had not received any funding from district services improvement programme.
“Previously it was a boy’s school until 2000 when female student were admitted.”