School needs dept to hasten application

He started the Ampuc Elementary School in 2020 after seeing the need to educate children between the ages of three and eight of Waria Compound, inside the Bumbu settlement, as well as surrounding areas of Voco Point, Chinatown, Gravel and Butibam village.

With the assistance of the Waria community, makeshift classrooms were erected, and the elementary school was opened in 2021 in the presence of former Morobe Governor, Ginson Saonu.

“Most of the students in the community, especially the little ones, aged 3 to 8, are lacking education,” Sowegi stated. “When they grow up, they contribute to social issues.

“That is why our main aim is to get this school registered.

“We have a total of 160 students at the moment. The weather is not good so you can see only a small number have attended classes today.”

Sowegi said relevant documents were submitted to the Department of Education to register their school, but they are yet to get a response.

As long as they are registered, their eight teachers can be put on government payroll and they can be included in the government tuition fee subsidy allocation.

For three years now, he has been running the school using the K100 school fee that is paid by parents and guardians, while his prep and elementary teachers are teaching on a voluntary basis.

Serah Mark, who has lived at Waria Compound for eight years now, was involved in the setting up of the school.

She spoke highly of the teachers and praised their efforts in teaching their children phonics, English, mathematics and basic etiquette.

“Ol titchas ol titchim ol pikinini gut, ol i no lusim ol pikinini; ol gim taim,” she said.

“Ol i no stap lo peirol tasol ol gim taim blo ol stret lo titchim ol pikinini. Planti ol mamapapa ol bringim ol pikinini blo ol kam na ol i hamamas lo displa skul.

“Nau ol sidaun, nogat gutpla, proper desks. Nogat skul saplai kam insait bikos displa skul ino stap lo gavman. So nau mipla nidim help blo yupla gavman lo luksave lo ol pikinini.”