The 2024 academic year begun yesterday and while it’s supposed to be the first day of classes, many parents and kids are looking for spaces in school.
Loop PNG visited several schools in the National Capital District today and saw schools still conducting registrations and trying to cater for the increasing number of transfer in students.
For Gordon Secondary School (GSS), parents flocked to the school gates as early as 7am to check for space availability for student transfers.
Principal of Gordon Secondary School, George Kenega, who has been there for 10 years says classes are packed and the school will not accept transfer in students.
“First two days, we have not fully sorted out our grade elevens and nines, they are newcomers so we are sorting them out into their classes and also looking at registration and etc. For grade twelves and tens who are continuing students are already in class”, said Kenega.
He added that the number of returning students is very high compared to transfer-out students. Notices were put out to inform parents and students of the unavailability of spaces at the school.
“For now, we are not going to take in any transfer in students, because all our classes are full. In fact, for the grade nines, we only selected 350 students which is enough, but because there were many Grade 8 students who were eligible without any placing, we got an additional 46 students. Now we are going to maneuver and increase the numbers per class”, he added.
GSS currently has approximately 55 students per class.
He shared that GSS does not accept students from outside NCD, but does consider transfer in requests from students from secondary schools in NCD depending on space and if the students meet the requirements.
Last year, 36 students from GSS secured spaces at the Port Moresby National High School and Mr Kenega says the school has to maintain its performance in 2024.
Gordon Secondary School caters for well over 1000 students.