Menyamya students receive uniforms

 ABOUT 2000 students in five schools in the remote Menyamya district of Morobe received free uniform sets from the provincial government on Christmas Day. 

Hakwange, Tsewi, Azuwa, Kwaplalem and Wauka Primary Schools received uniform under the free uniforms programme targeting rural schools. 

Uniform distribution programme manager Terry Agai said, the provincial executive council had endorsed and allocated K1 million for the uniform roll-out programme last year.

Agai said seven locally-owned and registered tailoring companies in the province were contracted to manufacture the uniforms for more than 20 schools in the province.

He said many parents in the rural areas could not afford school uniforms for their children because of financial constraints thus the provincial government had stepped in to assist them.

Agai said the aim was to boost education and classroom learning. 

“The Morobe Provincial Government has witnessed the poor academic performance level of education in the province and took drastic measures by instituting and creating the programme at primary level to boost pride in school children to make them concentrate more in their learning,” Agai said. 

He said the programme would continue through 2016 and 2017 to cover all primary schools in rural Morobe.

“We have covered the Wampar local level government in Huon Gulf and now we will go to Kabwum next year,” Agai said.

He said the PEC has agreed to continue funding the programme this year and in 2017. 

“Governor Kelly Naru has promised that all school children in rural and remote schools in Morobe will receive their uniforms as long as he remains as governor and will continue after 2017 election,” Agai said. 

Kome LLG president Jeffrey Tobias applauded the provincial government’s initiatives, saying it will benefit the future generations.

Tobias said the programme has removed burden from parents in rural areas, in the province.