School receives K3.26m support

A partnership with Hargy Oil Palms Ltd has seen a K3.26 million upgrade of the Pata-Painave Primary School in Pomio, East New Britain.
It is the first project completed under phase four of an incentive fund supported by the PNG-Australia partnership.
This project has delivered four double classrooms, staff accommodation, a women’s resource and training centre, an administration block, an under-cover basketball court, sports field and composting toilet.
The resource centre will serve as a home economics classroom for students and a life-skills training centre for local women to develop income opportunities and manage their finances through financial literacy training.
Australian High Commission counsellor James Passmore opened the new facilities on Nov 28.
“The government of Australia recognises that participation in sport leads to healthier and more inclusive communities. Pata-Painave Primary School can now provide enhanced learning opportunities for the children of this region. This benefits the whole community,” Passmore said.
Sipef managing director and chairman of Hargy Oil Palms Ltd Francois Van Hoydonck emphasised the value of private businesses focusing on sustainable development, especially in the remote parts of the country.
“Students at Pata-Painave used to study outside, under the sun, with the most basic of resources,” Van Hoydonck said.
“With support from the governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia, we’ve made it our business to ensure that surrounding communities as well as Hargy employees and their families have access to a better learning environment.”
Incentive fund has provided more than K227 million for education projects since 2000.