Mark making a mark in classroom

WHEN Mark Petelo arrived in East New Britain from Milne Bay as a 17-year-old in 1978 to attend a teachers’ college, he did not know it would become his new home where he would raise a family.
Today, four decades later, and after serving as a teacher and head teacher in nine schools around the province, he is ready to call it a day.
With wife Dorcas, children William, Joyce, Sila and Daniel, and not forgetting his grandchildren by his side, Mark knows they deserve his attention more now.
He dedicates everything to his strong Christian upbringing which he has tried to pass on to his students.
“I owe this to my Christian upbringing. When I arrived in ENB as a young man (after passing Grade 10 at the Cameron High School in Milne Bay in 1978), I was fortunate to be mentored by some great men and women of God from the Christian Revival Crusade family such as the late Pastor Manas Parik, Pastor Douglas Wuru, Pastor Gaius Batia, late Pastor Serah Ainui and Pastor John ToGuata to name a few.”
After graduating from the Gaulim Teachers College at the end of 1979, he served in various schools including Tudungan in 1980, Rabagi from 1981 to 1987, Tamanairik in 1988, Nangananga in 1989, Tavui from 1990 to 1997, Vudal from 1998 to 2001, Waterhouse in 2002, Kabagap from 2003 to 2005, and Kalamanagunan from 2006 to 2020.
When posted to the new Rabagi Primary School in 1981, he was the only teacher. And that was also where he met and married his wife Dorcas.
Mark turned 60 on July 13. He recently tendered his resignation while head teacher of the Kalamanagunan primary school, one of the biggest schools in the province and region.
The teachers had secretly planned a birthday party for him which they were surprised he found out about beforehand. He announced to them his resignation at the party.
His secret to success in the noble profession is championing God.
“It is my firm belief that God must always be allowed to take his rightful place in all the schools that I teach in, especially as a head teacher.

“ I make it my business to ensure that my students are given spiritual guidance. Christian values and principles when embraced by students would make them persons of integrity and credibility in society.”

“I always ensure that we teach our students, who are gifts from God, the calling beyond the boundaries of the classroom.
“I make it my business to ensure that my students are given spiritual guidance. Christian values and principles when embraced by students would make them persons of integrity and credibility in society.”
Mark is satisfied he had contributed the best he could towards the development of students in the various schools he taught in. Some of his students now work in the public and private sectors.
He remains a member of the provincial education board, a provincial examination supervisor for the past 13 years, and represents more than 80,000 teachers and education workers in Nambawan Super Ltd.
He will bow out at the end of the year and thanks everyone who had supported him during his career, including the hard working, committed and supportive teachers and ancillary staff, boards of management, supportive parents and energetic students in all the schools he served.
“They made my job easier.”
He also thanks wife Dorcas and his four children, “and my adopted clan of Rabagi No 2”.
Eldest son William is now an accountant and eldest daughter Joyce is, like him, a teacher.
The noble profession continues in the family.

• Story and pictures supplied by Michael Philip.