School suspened over threats

A PREMIER secondary school in Morobe has been suspended indefinitely after residents from the surrounding communities clashed with the school’s staff and their families last week.
Morobe deputy governor Willie Simbisi said Bumayong Secondary School teachers, their relatives and the school have been facing threats from the surrounding communities for some time now.
“This is an on-going issue at this school and it is time we ended this,” Simbisi said.
In a short meeting at the school on Friday between the school’s administration, representatives from the provincial education board, teachers and district officials, it was resolved that a committee would be formed to address the issue and for police to address the communities involved.
Simbisi, when declaring the suspension of Bumayong Secondary School said police would ask the communities involved in the confrontation with the teachers to surrender those involved in damaging the school bus.
The confrontation took place after the school bus was attacked with an iron rod which was rammed through the front wind screen.
He said the community needed to hand over the culprits or police would go in and look for them.
“Exceptions will be given to Grade 12 students only to come to school on Monday (today) for their exams,” he said.
Senior secondary school inspector Wemin Dom said the ongoing confrontation between the surrounding communities and the school was an issue.
“We do not know why the surrounding communities continuously attack the school. They started (last) Monday and again on Wednesday and finally on Thursday afternoon they attacked the school bus,” he said.
Lae Met Supt Chris Kunyanban said police had been assigned to monitor the situation.