Sepik to have new school

By GABRIEL FITO
THE East Sepik provincial education board has approved a new Middle Sepik High School in Timboli village, Angoram.
Provincial education planner Donald Mellam announced the decision to the delight of Timboli and 17 neighbouring villages last Thursday during a short visit there to discuss what is needed to start the first grade nine classes next year.
Mellam was accompanied by primary education adviser Alois Kawe who flew on a MAF aircraft chartered by the villagers for K1,600.
Mellam told the villagers that the board had given its blessing for the new high school but the decision on when formal classroom began rested with the people.
He said that was because formal resumption of classes would depend on the villagers setting up the necessary infrastructure such as classrooms, teachers’ houses and a library.
The new high school project coordinator Raymond Sumbia said most children in the middle Sepik area had been denied their right to education after Grade 8 because they could not afford to travel on foot or by canoe for over six hours to the nearest high schools at Kubalia or Angoram.
He said board approval for the high school was a relief to the parents and they would work hard this year to ensure they got the initial required infrastructure in place to enrol the first Grade 9 classes next year.
Ward councillors were encouraged to discuss the project with the LLG president Ken Charles and national MP Arthur Somare for financial support in implementing the project.