Middle Ramu education struggling

EDUCATION

By PHILOMENA O SALIAU
MIDDLE Ramu is a district in Madang where most schools are in very remotest areas. You find them along the Ramu River and in the plains towards the Sepik or up in the mountains toward Jiwaka.
A newly established school, named after Sr Jane-Frances Milane, the former principal of Malala Catholic Secondary School in Bogia district, is one such school that is faced with daily struggles.
Sr Jane Frances Memorial High School at Misingi is accessibly by travelling downsteam for 11 hours from Banu in Usino. The shorter dearer way to get there is by a helicopter ride from Madang town.
It is a new junior high school endorsed by the Madang Provincial Education Board and has been operating in the last two years pending formal registration by the national department.
The school is in critical need for basic infrastructure, curriculum materials, a radio, internet communication for research purposes, library books and materials for the school administration,” said Francis Powih, who recently had joined the community in welcoming a visitng delegation of government ministers and officials last June.
“The high school was set up because of the high number of students competing for limited spaces at the district’s only high school at Aiome which is run by the Anglican Church. Due to limited spacing at Aiome High School, most of the students passing out annually from the district’s primary schools are turned away. The situation is so bad especially for the young school-aged girls who have very little choice to further their education or seek other opportunities outside of their villages and district and are therefore forced into early marriage.
Unlike their male peers who can travel out in search of opportunities, the girls have no choice but to be married off at a tender age, Powih said.
Last June 20, Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon and his team of visiting officials witnessed firsthand the difficulties confronting the education sector in Middle Ramu. The delegation was taken on a tour of the district by local MP Johnny Alonk.
Among the visitors was the chief executive officer of the PNG Cocoa Board Boto Gaupu, the Middle Ramu district administrator and a representative from the provincial education office.

After a long while
The visit by Simon and his delegation was an occasion worth celebrating as the Misingi community were assured that a government delegation has at last seen and heard of the plight of their newly established junior high school.
Visitor Francis Powih also made another observation about the school: “Currently most of the developments taking place in the school are supported by parents and teachers only. Apart from that, only K20,000 in support came from the district development authority (DDA) for the construction of the first double classroom.
“Minister Simon made a commitment of K10,000 for satellite communication facilities but that is still pending.
“The school is in need of major developments in classrooms, a computer lab, science lab, administration block, a basic technology building, student dormitories, a school mess, teachers’ houses, ablution blocks, generator, school library and water supply.”

The community is therefore appealing to major business houses and organisation involved in assisting communities with community projects like BSP Financial Group, Digicel Foundation, Unicef, Save the Children, Care International and Steamships to assist in any way they can.
Without the basic infrastructure and all necessary equipment for good learning that is on par with other schools of similar status, the Sr Jane Memorial High School at Misingi will still be lagging behind.
It is important that government and other stakeholders take heed of this situation affecting a disadvantaged part of the Madang province to ensure decent learning for the many young children who face daunting challenges to get an education.
Minister Simon was in the district to witness a cocoa cooperative nursery project but on his way called into the Sr Jane Memorial High School at Missingi as well as the district’s other junior high schools at Annaberg along the river and Simbai in the mountains.
The Middle Ramu Cocoa Cooperative Society nursery project was launched at Sotebu village.
It was also announced during the minister’s visit that apart from academic studies, the junior high schools in the district would train students in cocoa or rice farming as well as other skills so that they would be able to make a living for themselves when they leave school.

• Philomena Saliau is a freelance writer.