Buk Bilong Pikinini (BbP)

The Teachers Training program was launched on Wednesday at the Emmaus Conference Centre in Boroko, which will continue for the next two weeks. Forty-seven teacher librarians from four regions of the country will participate in the refresher training facilitated by staff from the BbP head office.

BbP is an independent based charity in Port Moresby that aims to foster a life-long love for reading, learning, and increasing literacy rates and empowering vulnerable children.

The NWTL group supplied stationary to support BbP’s Literacy Week program for 2021.

Fonehaus Marketing Manager Shulei Andrew –Toguata presented two truckloads of boxes containing 8000 pencils, 500 ball pens, 900 rulers, 2900 exercise books, 700 backpacks and 2900 pencil cases valued at K40, 000.

Its children, enrolled in BbP’s ECE program, studied the importance of the ocean, village, forest and animals in PNG culture through craft activities and story-telling by parents and officers from the National Museum of PNG. The children will be displaying their stories, which will be added to the BbP learning app so all children across the country can share their culture and customs.

A new book series called “When I Grow Up I want to be a: Pilot, Teacher, Store Manager, ICT Officer, Farmer and Paramedic” was launched by students and teachers of BbP at the Gordons Brian Bell Plaza recently.

The BbP aims to create a mini library of professions that will inspire children in choosing their future career path and to help them understand why education is important.

The children visited the office of Pacific Palms Property with architect Vanessa Kagena, and also went on an exciting site tour to see the beautiful Harbour-side East and West completed projects.

Field trips and real-life experiences are what motivate children to think about their education and future career.

Five-year-old Christabella Raraga got chosen to feature in a reader entitled “When I grow up – I want to be an Architect” and has seen which tools and skills are required to become an architect.

An exciting part of the BbP Digital Teacher training program, which is taking part in Port Moresby from the 14-18^th of December will be the launch of an early childhood development App based on BbP’s curriculum.

BbP believes that the key to an efficient digital learning program for the enrolled 5-year-old children, lies in the training of the teachers and in ensuring that the content of the training is practical and fully complements the BbP curriculum.

Ase Boas has been a successful rugby player for a number of years and continues to inspire children across the country with his great sports and leadership skills.

“Not many people would know that Ase has a deep interest in ensuring that PNG’s children receive the best possible education and support to do well in life and is happy to lend his name and give his time to support Buk bilong Pikinini’s mission of increasing literacy rates in the country,” said BbP.

As part of ICD, the children advocated for their rights, demonstrating with signs such as ‘the right to be included’, ‘the right to live in a clean environment’, ‘the right to healthy food’, ‘the right to be treated fairly’, ‘the right to be heard’ and the ‘right to be educated’.

It is important to mark this occasion to make sure children feel supported, cared for, educated and heard.

International research suggests that STEM education allows even the youngest children to develop their communication and problem-solving-skills, especially when they are actively encouraged to talk about their ideas and observations.

Young children also benefit from STEM learning because they are generally naturally inquisitive and want to explore and make sense of themselves and the environment in which they live.

BSP Group General Manager Retail, Paul Thornton, said this when announcing BSP’s continued support to the Buk bilong Pikinini (BbP) Library Learning Centres in PNG.

Thornton said BSP was continuing its support as a platinum sponsor with over K226,000 to the program this year.

“BSP is happy to contribute towards the development of our children in PNG not only through basic numeracy and literacy skills but also through financial literacy, equipping them with real life skills to sustain and apply in their livelihoods now and in future.”