Telco assists Sepik school

DIGICEL PNG Foundation launched its 21st primary school double classroom project on Nov 30 at Ami Primary School in East Sepik.
The mobile phone company said in a media statement that this was the first primary school classroom project to be funded in East Sepik by the foundation.
The steel kit structure double classroom was funded at a cost of K200,000 and included office space, 20 new double school benches, school blackboards, a water tank, two pit toilets and two bucket showers for the female students.
Located 5km off the main Sepik Highway, the school was established in 1966 and is now run by the South Seas Evangelical church.
The school has 305 students enrolled from Grades 3-8 with a teaching staff of 11.
It has five double classrooms, two are bush material and three semi-permanent.
The Digicel-funded classroom is the only permanent structure.
School head teacher Garry Nakila said: “We are anticipating an increase in enrolment next year and the school, students, teachers and the community cannot thank Digicel enough.”
The Ami community, comprising six villages, had funded and built the existing classrooms themselves without outside funding.
Digicel Foundation CEO Marina van der Vlies said: “We endeavour to target and support communities such as Ami.
“We are delighted to support their achievements and commitment through the provision of better resources and school structures such as these double classrooms and we take the opportunity to wish them all the very best for the next academic year.”