Teacher opens new school assembly area at Joyce Bay

The National National
Just In Time Literacy School founder Nathan Andes (middle) and guests cheering with children during the opening of the school’s assembly area. – Picture supplied

By NATHAN WOTI
IT was an exciting day for children in the zone five area of Joyce Bay, Port Moresby, as they celebrated the opening of their new assembly area and grandstand.
School founder Nathan Andes said it had not been easy for him to build a school in a settlement.
“Most people will not believe you when you want to start something positive in a settlement community, especially if you are young,” he said.
“But it’s not their fault, it is just because we all grew up in the settlement and we know what settlement life is all about.
“So to start something positive you have to really convince people and that is what I did.
“I did not listen to their criticism but I took it as challenge and as I began work, people started noticing it and eventually I had help coming from my very own surrounding families and my local church.”
Andes, 28, is a graduate from the Mt Hagen Holy Trinity Teachers’ College and is currently teaching at Koki Primary School.
He said the biggest challenge he faced was seeking financial assistance for the classroom project which he completed a year ago.
He had to use his own money to purchase materials little by little.
Andes said as the project began to take shape, some members of his local church stepped in to assist.
“I was fortunate to be in a church group. Because from there I received guidance on how to serve my people and that is where the vision of building an elementary school for the kids in Joyce Bay zone five area began,” he said.
“It may be small in the eyes of the people, but for these kids it is a positive start in an environment where role models are hard to come by or things to motivate them to want to be somebody in the future.
“I grew up around this area, experienced a lot and I do not want these children to go through the same things.”
Andes lost his mother and his best friend last year and saw this as a challenge to keep on going.
He said his dream now was to convert his whole residential area into a school area with a community library in school’s centre as a tribute to his late mother.
Just in Time Literacy School opened its assembly area and a grand stand which was named after Andes’ best friend, Rocklan.