Partners planning to open a campus in Western

PNG Sustainable Development Programme (SDP), Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF) and Middle Fly MP Roy Biyama are looking at developing a Balimo campus in Western.
This came about some years back when SDP sponsored 15 students from Western to live and attend KTF’s Kokoda College in Northern.
A FODE Centre was opened this year through this partnership and it is the first stage of a college that will deliver pre-service and in-service teacher training as well as training for community health workers and other health professionals.
So far, the FODE Centre has been a positive addition to the Balimo community.
According to school principal and lecturer at the Balimo Campus Nauli Duwaba, students faced challenges especially during the wet season.
“It takes about three hours each day for some of our students to paddle to the mainland and then walk to the campus. It can take longer during the wet season. It is not easy. But that is the dedication that these students have for the programme,” Duwaba said.
SDP, KTF and Biyama are working towards having boarding facilities in place by mid-next year to address this issue.
However, despite the challenges, students attending the centre sat for their examinations in October and November respectively, and are awaiting their results.
Duwaba is grateful for the work that is happening at the campus and he thanked SDP, KTF and their local member for making an important education initiative a reality in Balimo.