Opening of duplex ease secondary school’s housing issue

FOUR teachers from Togoba Secondary School in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands, who have been residing in rented houses, will now be accommodated in a double-storey duplex.
Togoba, which is one of the province’s senior secondary school, had been facing the problem of a shortage of staff housing over the years.
The situation forced many teachers to rent their own accommodation.
During its opening on June 19, school board chairman Sydney Paraka said the school had been impacted by the issue and something needed to be done.
He said the school engaged Highlands Pacific Ltd to build the duplex at a cost of more than K500,000 – the building will house four staff members.
He said the school had 50 teaching staff.
Out of that 20 of them reside inside the school, while the rest rented their own accommodation. He said four of those 30 would move into the duplex.
Paraka said his board appreciated that teachers needed to be properly accommodated in order to teach well and they were committed to providing adequate housing for them.
He said the quality and consistency of a students’ learning depended on the teacher and that was why they needed to address the matter of housing and welfare.
Principal Simon Opa supported Paraka and urged the authorities to look into the issue and help schools build houses for teachers.