Lone woman teacher takes Garaina school to year’s end

GARAINA Primary School on the outskirts of Morobe graduated 14 Grade Eight students on Nov 9.
At the beginning of the year, the enrolment was 100 students with seven teachers in six classrooms.
Come year’s end, only 50 students remained.
Garaina Primary School is located in the hinterlands of Morobe, bordering Kerema in Gulf and Bulolo.
Due to the rugged terrains, access to essential services such as health and education were unspeakable.
So, from the remaining 50, Garaina Primary School did beat the odds and graduated its 14 Grade Eight students. It was the school’s 18th graduation.
The problems started when five teachers chose to leave after term three and, after they departed, some of the students also went home and did not return for classes.
At the start of term four, only one senior teacher remained along with the headmaster to take charge of the Grade Three through to Grade Eight, but no Grade Seven classes.
Dominica Baga, a senior teacher at Garaina Primary, was transferred to the outstation earlier this year.
She had remained at the school and juggled teaching all the remaining grades until the year ended.