Smelly suspension

National, Normal
Source:

KARI TOTONA

THE Ted Diro Primary School in Port Moresby has suspended classes for its 850 students since last Wednesday after sewage water flowed onto the premises.
The sewage water is from the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) quarters nearby.
The “invasion” occurred four weeks ago but worsened last week, prompting the school authority to suspend classes indefinitely.
“The Defence Force houses are on a hill and the school is on low land. The sewage water is flowing down the middle of the classrooms and this is not healthy for the students,” deputy head teacher Jerry Karavai told The National yesterday.
He said when they reported the matter to Eda Ranu, they were told to see the PNGDF’s engineers “because it is their compound”.
They met with the SO3 Military public relations officer, Capt Kilala, who is also the school’s deputy chairman, last Monday and Thursday but nothing has been done.
“We are hoping that through media, the authorities will speed up the process and rescue the school from this health hazard so that our students can come back to the classrooms to learn,” he said.
The National contacted Capt Kilala who admitted that the sewage was from one of their houses.
“The sewage pipe broke and this has caused it to spill over,” he said, adding that drainage was also poor.
He said he brought the matter up with the commanding officer, Lt Col Tonny Owawa, and was assured that the problem would be attended to
this week.
He believed that they were in the process of engaging a contractor.
“We are sorry that innocent children have been affected and will have to pay for this. I give an assurance that the contractor will be working on it by this week,” he said.
Capt Kilala also expressed disappointment that the school failed to bring up the matter earlier, adding that their ignorance contributed to the suspension of the classes.
“Prevention is better than cure,” he added.