Students sleeping in library after fire razed dorms

By GLORIA BAUAI
MORE than 100 boarding students of Salamaua Provincial High School are being accommodated in the school library and home economics building, headmaster Norman Apul says.
Apul said the school had five boarding houses for male students, however, two were burnt down during a school fight last year.
“We were left with three dormitories, these two buildings which were not being used, were turned into temporary boarding houses for the male students,” he said.
“We have over 60 boys in the library and over 30 more in the home economics building.
“We don’t teach these subjects such as home economics and practical skills due to our very poor facilities, so this temporary change would not affect any lessons.”
Apul said overcrowding was their main issue now with too many students accommodated in one building. He said they had received a pledge recently from Huon Gulf MP Ross Seymour to have two dormitories built this term.
Apul said over-crowding was also a concern in the three female dormitories.
“We need another dormitory for the girls so they are distributed evenly and there’s enough space and room for them,” he said.
In the meantime, Apul said the new school board had taken a tough stand on alcohol.
He said all students and parents had been told about the school’s zero tolerance policy on drinking alcohol and other disruptive activities.
Apul said so far this year, two students had already been terminated for alcohol consumption on school campus.
“Tough decisions must be made to avoid repetition of incidences like burning down of the dormitories and these two terminations have set the example,” he said.