Kabwum plans to retain students

By JIMMY KALEBE
KABWUM district in Morobe is planning to retain its top five per cent of grade 10 students in the coming years, says an official.
District education coordinator Ezekiel Nigo said Kabwum was yet to meet all the required standards under the Department of Education in its plan to have a secondary school in each of the four local level government to retain students.
“Fisheries Minister and MP Patrick Basa in his effort to keep the top students back, has embarked on having a high school each for the four LLGs,” Nigo said.
He said Komba Secondary School was enrolling its second lot of first grade nine students this year.
Construction of building for classrooms, dormitories and teachers’ houses are underway.
“Some students were sent to Wasu Secondary, but the school facing problems currently, we are looking at retaining them at Komba Secondary School,” he said.
Nigo said students from Yus, Deyamos and Selepet selected for grade 9 this year would be sent to Komba Secondary School.
“That is why, for this year, grade 9 classes at Komba have increased from five classes last year to seven this year,” he said.
Nigo said at Yus High School, Basa had provided K500,000 for infrastructure, including teachers’ houses, classrooms and dormitories.
The school’s submission for registration would be lodged with the Department of Education after completion of infrastructures.
It was the aim of Bas to have Yus, Deyamos and Selepet high schools registered by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Nigo said Kabwum Technical Vocational School was enrolling 30 students this year for carpentry and welding courses with the recruitment of four instructors.
He said the school’s infrastructure has been completed.
Nigo said K200,000 was paid to PlumTrade in Lae to supply practical tools for students.