Rise in student numbers forces school to use old classroom

By EREBIRI ZURENUOC
A PRIMARY school in Finschhafen, Morobe, recommisioned one of its colonial classrooms to cater for increased student enrolments on Tuesday.
Gagidu Primary School, established in 1962 is the only level six primary school in the Finschhafen urban local level government. Deputy head teacher Resingke Yobang said the school had not been receiving enough money from Government to build proper school buildings.
“Nearly all the infrustructure here was built in the colonial days,” he said.
“We have 13 classrooms which have deteriorated over the years.
“The recommisioned building was built back in 1962, when the school was established.
“We did maintanence for nearly the whole year this year, with a total cost of more than K30,000.
Yobang said the school catered for students in Gagidu Town including Dregerhafen, Butaweng, Godowa and Logaweng.
It enrolled more than 450 students this year.
“There are reforms in the education system and we need to have good classrooms to cater for student increase,” Yobang said.
“The tuition fee free (TFF) funds are not enough, because of the part payments.
“Therefore, we had to focus on areas that are important, such as infrustructucture.
“It will take us time to fix all our deteriorating infrastructure,” Yobang said.
He said the school needed staff houses and had written a submission to the Morobe Governor’s Office for funding.
Kate local level government president Harry Umbingke said the school was the centre of Finschhafen and must be properly maintained.