Landowners shut school after local children locked out

By Rebecca Kuku
VILLAGERS closed down an education institution yesterday after claiming it was not accepting their children.
Kirakira and Mahuru villagers claim that the Butuka Academy in Port Moresby is built on their traditional land. They put chains on the main gate to stop people from entering.
Spokeswoman Behori Joku said children from the two villages were being sent home from class on a daily basis by the principal and teachers.
“Our children are told to sit outside while outsiders from other parts of the city attend classes and continue to be enrolled,” she said.
“This school is built on our customary land so if 100 per cent of our children cannot attend this school, no outsider will attend. We will keep the school shut indefinitely until our students are allowed to enrol.”
Joku said the land was given for the school on the understanding that it would enrol children from the Moresby South electorate.
“However, there are students from outside the electorate, students from as far as Bomana and 9-Mile are enrolled at the school while local students are turned away. It’s been three weeks since the school was opened. As parents and landowners, we cannot just watch as our children told to wait outside.”