Materials yet to reach schools: Official

STANDARDS-based curriculum materials from a Japanese aid grant are yet to reach some schools, says Morobe programme adviser Keith Tangui.
He said textbooks and teachers’ guides allocated for Menyamya, Garaina Valley and schools in Lae ended up elsewhere.
Tangui blamed this on the lack of communication between the contractors engaged.
“We needed those materials urgently and the Japanese government stepped in to assist us,” he said.
“Japan (shipped) them to the province but once here, the materials were not delivered (to the schools).”
Tangui said the contractors were paid a lot of money to deliver them but “they ended up elsewhere”.
“One book costs between K60 and K80 and because people need them, opportunists can steal them and sell,” he added.
“The Education secretary has been notified and will tell his people in the curriculum division to do the right thing.”
Japan Embassy in PNG’s second secretary Atsushi Namba said the Japanese government had selected a contractor to distribute the materials to the designated province.
He said that according to the arrangement, the Department of Education was responsible for the transportation from the site to each school.
This assistance cost about K39 million (¥1.2 billion).
“Japan believes that primary education is a key to developing the future of the country,” Namba said.
“Therefore, we have been providing not only textbooks but also school buildings to many places in Papua New Guinea and will continue to support children and the development efforts of the Government of PNG.”