Marianville gets K4.7mil boost

By SHIRLYN BELDEN
MARIANVILLE Secondary School, outside Port Moresby, yesterday received more than K4.7 million for infrastructure development.
The school became the latest recipient of funds from the PNG-Australia Incentive Fund under AusAID.
The money will be used to build classrooms to accommodate 90 students, a dormitory for 48 girls, extension to the dining hall and home economics facility, upgrading of water supply system and the administration facility and new staff houses.
School principal Sr Angela Taylor thanked the Papua New Guinea and Australian governments for their support in building and strengthening the education of women in the country through the granting of funds.
Speaking to students, AusAID counsellor governance Kath Taplin said this partnership was rewarding for girls and young women as it provided an opportunity for full participation in nation-building.
“Educating women is important because educated women are less likely to be the victims of all kinds of violence,” she said.
“I ask everyone to realise the significance of this support from AusAID and encourage women’s participation in developing the country.”
The Fund this year committed
K50 million to infrastructure initiatives, particularly education-related infrastructure. 
Incentive Fund management group chairman Dr Thomas Webster told the students the partnership was to enhance gender equality for development.
“Gender equality is a challenge because PNG has a unique culture,” he said.
“There is good and bad to it and in order to achieve gender equality we must overcome the bad,” he said.