School opens library

 By PISAI GUMAR

A REMOTE primary school at the foot of the Finistere Range in Wampar, Morobe, opened a new permanent library building and a teacher’s house last Saturday.

The event at Ruru Primary School coincided with groundbreaking for another teacher’s house by ward 22 councillor Jack Ningke on behalf of Governor Kelly Naru.

Special guests Naru and Huon Gulf MP Ross Seymour were unable to attend due to other commitments.

Ruru is the only Lutheran church agency school in the area and was established in 1975 with little improvement in school facilities since.

Headmaster Yonayong Lima said that the total material and labour cost was K75,000 for the two buildings, which were constructed by a local contractor.

He said the funds came from project fees and the free-tuition fees, which were invested to achieve the school infrastructure improvement programme.

“Books contain the treasure of knowledge. Open a book and ask for the required knowledge and it will teach you.  Performance determines the future and pupils need to spend quality time to access books to gain more as books reveal the untold or untaught lessons to enrich human understanding,” Lima said.

He added that the school currently enrolled 175 pupils with five teachers.

Board chairman Gewe Kalem said the school would strive to improve its primary school status by upgrading classrooms, teachers’ houses, water supply, electricity and fencing.

He said the school currently had two permanent and one semi-permanent classrooms with two permanent teachers’ houses.

Huon Gulf MP Ross Seymour contributed 450 exercise books and pledged to build a double classroom for the school.

Morobe Stationery donated 20 chairs while the Summer Institute of Linguistics at Ukarumpa, Eastern Highlands, donated 12 cartons of library books.