School gets K500,000 surprise

By GABRIEL FITO
YANGORU Secondary School principal Joseph Jangwan was speechless when Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru handed over a cheque for K500,000 last Sunday to fix a rundown science laboratory.
This was the first time in many years for a pioneer school in East Sepik to receive such a huge amount of money.
The cheque was presented in the presence of the Yangoru-Saussia joint district planning and budget priority committee (JDP&BPC) members and observers who had gathered at the school for the second JDP&BPC meeting.
Jangwan said enrolments for Grades 9 and 11 at the school were increasing because of the government’s subsidised education policy and the school should have enough classrooms to accommodate all children from the district.
“Our science lab has depreciated over the years and is now standing idle.
“Students’ enrolment has increased from 540 to 646 this year and we are anticipating a further increase to around 700 next year,” he said.
“To meet the increasing number of students, who will be entering the school next year and onward, our foremost task is to create room for them.
“I thank you Minister Maru for fulfilling your commitment of human resource development in the district by making this huge presentation for the first time in many years,” Jangwan said.
Maru, who is the MP for Yangoru-Saussia, told his people to take ownership of the institution and provide parental support as required by the school so that the environment remained conducive for their children’s learning.
“I would like to make it clear that there should be no politics involved in the school,” he said.
“We must leave teachers and other public servants in the district to perform their duties freely, without any political interference so that we move this district in these five years.
“The money I am presenting to you is not from the Yangoru-Saussia district purse.
“The money I am giving you is directly from Waigani to Yangoru-Saussia district and you must be proud that you have voted an influential leader who is committed to changing this district,” Maru said.
He outlined his plan to visit all primary and high schools to provide support before the academic year ended.
Meanwhile,  the JDP&BPC plans to build a technical college in the district to cater training of skilled manpower.