West Papua refugees sit Gr 12 exams

 ELEVEN West Papua refugee students sat for the national examinations at St Gabriel’s Technical Secondary School in Kiunga, Western, last week.

The Indonesian students joined the 85 students from the school to sit for the Grade 12 national examinations. 

They are under-privileged students whose fees are paid by Mercy Works, a humanitarian organisation managed by the Daru-Kiunga Catholic Diocese. 

Funding came from international donor agencies in Poland, Netherlands, the German organisation Dafi and from the Catholic church organisations. 

Most of the students live at the Iowara Refugee Camp in East Awin, across the Fly River, and had worked hard to have a boarding space in the school.

The students said they were determined to go further in their education despite the setbacks. 

They said they were as valuable as other people and could contribute meaningfully to the society.

Some of them were given equal opportunity to attend primary and secondary schools in Western. 

Others who were sponsored students are now attending tertiary institutions while others have found employment. 

Teachers at the school said most West Papua students were hard working and had the desire to learn.