‘School of excellence’ set for ESP

Yangoru-Saussia, in East Sepik, will pioneer the country’s first district secondary school of excellence concept starting next year.
The concept is an initiative aligned to the national government’s policy of quality education and academic excellence.
The concept is the brainchild of Yangoru-Saussia MP Richard Maru, the former national planning and monitoring minister.
Under the concept, which will be piloted at Yangoru Secondary School, the top five per cent of grade 10 students from all five high schools in the district will be selected to complete secondary education (grades 11-12) at the school of excellence.
Maru said the district’s best performing students would study in one of the best institutions in the region built at a cost of K18 million.
The construction of the school, which will have boarding facilities, is at Yangoru station and was funded by the Australian government.
The school has 120 spaces a year.
The school’s first intake next year would have 90 students from the district and 30 from other parts of the province.
Maru thanked the Australian government for its assistance that would improve education in the province.
He also acknowledged the effort of the province’s education board.
He said the school of excellence concept complemented the government’s tuition-fee-free education policy and took a holistic approach to improving the quality of education in PNG.