Yangoru Secondary School in East Sepik Province has broken its own 47-year record with 21 students of the 31 Grade 12s of last year accepted to universities this year.
Yangoru Saussia District Chief Executive Officer and Chairman for the Yangoru Secondary School in East Sepik Province, Jacob Yafai broke the good news this week.
Mr Yafai proudly declared that this historical achievement is the school’s best academic performance in its history, when 21 students out of 31 Grade 12s of 2021 were selected to universities.
“Since its establishment, the school has never sent more than 10 students to universities in any one year. This is a 100 percent improvement from any previous academic results in the history of the school in only one academic year,” said the jubilant Chairman.
He said this is the first time in the history of the school to achieve such result as the school also pioneered the District School of Excellent (DSoE) concept. DSoE is the brainchild of MP for Yangoru-Saussia, Richard Maru that aims to improve the quality of education in rural PNG schools.
Yangoru Secondary consists of the original Yangoru Secondary School (day school) and the YS District School of Excellence (boarding school). The academic year 2021 saw the pioneer 31 students pass out of YS District School of Excellence.
“We have 14 students from the School of Excellence and seven students from YSS (day school) who have received offers from universities. It is a milestone for the school to send students to universities at this rate. This only shows the District School of Excellence has merits as a concept.
“The people of Yangoru-Saussia have the people and Government of Australia to thank for the K18 million building of the Yangoru Sausia SOE facility,” Mr Yafai added.
Mr Yafai said the school is not comparing itself with other schools, but by self-evaluation, against its own past performance based on the number of placings its students got at tertiary institutions.
The university entry rate of 45 percent (14/31) by the pioneer students shows that the District School of Excellence concept in every district is the strategy that has the potential to improve quality of education for rural districts. It gives disadvantaged kids opportunities to realise their potential.
In addition to the 21 students who got accepted by universities, the school is still getting more acceptance letters of its students from colleges. The results will be published once the list is finalised.
“I express my immense gratitude to Mr Maru for trialling the District School of Excellence concept in YSS. I thank the YSDDA Board for its continuous assistance to the school.
“I express my gratitude to the Principal, Lucy Silam and all the hardworking teachers. I thank the Board of YSS and former board chairman, Fanston Yaninen for their work, which I continued.
He also thanked students and parents of YSS for doing their best.
“It takes a village to raise a child. This is only the beginning. Together, we can do more and better. All our efforts are futile without God. All honour and glory to God for the great things He has done!” Yafai exclaimed.