Top student wants to be a historian

EDUCATION

By PAUL MINGA
THE 2019 Grade 10 dux of Zion Zeal Christian School in Port Moresby wants to be a historian to help people better understand the relationship between science and religion.
Seventeen-year-old Kolo Sokame, says, “I want to clarify misunderstanding and unexplained mysteries in the minds of many people who are still in a world of wonder and confusion on who or what to believe – science or religion?
Sokame who hails from Erave in Southern Highlands was among the grade 10, eight and three students who graduated from the privately-owned school last Friday.
In this modern age where knowledge and technology are increasing rapidly and religion is being questioned, the young man is looking ahead to an interesting challenge ahead. But his strong religious upbringing has given him a solid start to pursue studies in future.
Plays and other items were part of the graduation ceremony held inside the Taurama Aquatic Center indoor sports complex.

The event started at 9am and a crowd of more than 600 people comprising excited parents, guardians and the public were part of the programme of activities that were unfolding on the big day.
According to the school administration, Zion Zeal Christian School first started as a kindergarten of prep and elementary school 14 years ago.
As a private school its humble beginning was as riddled with the hardships of securing land and other problems like inadequate funding and resources but slowly the school began to make progress over the time to what it is today.
It is a complete school with preparatory classes, elementary classes, primary school and high school.
The school administration had been very grateful to all the teachers, ancillary staff and other workers who in one way or another have been as a force behind in bringing the school up where it is now. It has been the commitment of time and effort that was put into by past and current staff  had seen the school that started from scratch as only a prep and kindergarten later progressed on into primary and eventually had the high school level of learning to its fold.
The school administration also acknowledged the support of faithful parents who had been very supportive in paying their children’s school fees which had become a main source of income that enables the day to day operation of the school.
As a private school Zion Zeal looked up to the parents as its only hope to keep the school in operation and therefore the school administration had been very thankful and appreciative of the kids and students’ parents.
While government and church agency schools receive funding support from the state and their agencies for operational expenses, it is really tough for a privately run school like Zion Zeal who depended solely on their own sources of funding for all operational expenses from the school fees paid by parents and guardians.

It is no mean feat to run a private school as it has its share of headaches and difficulties.
Only a few determined men and women have succeeded in establishing and operating their own schools successfully.
Over the past 14 years, the board and management of Zion Zeal have seen the school grow from strength to strength with a few extensions or branches being established in other locations in Port Moresby, apart from the original Waigani campus. The other campuses are at 9-Mile, Gerehu, Apex Park Boroko and East Boroko.

• Paul Minga is a freelance writer.