Students and staff of Raval Vocational Training Centre (RVTC) in the Rakada Ward of Reimber Livuan LLG in Gazelle District, were happy recipients of a new school truck.
Delivered on Friday, August 18th, the vehicle was a gift from the government and people of East New Britain Province. It was handed to the institution by Governor Michael Marum and a delegation.
The truck is among several others that have been delivered to schools around the province by the office of the Governor, on behalf of the ENB Provincial Government.
The school management said this vehicle will greatly assist the 700-plus students from the RVTC to travel to school from the main road, which is about a 3-kilometre walk through a dirt track.
They said the track is sometimes risky, as there have been reports of students being attacked and robbed.
Speaking at the presentation of the vehicle, ENB Deputy Provincial Administrator for District and LLG Services, Nicholas Larme, said the assistance from the governor is to empower institutions and groups to further enhance themselves.
“If you are not academically gifted, you must go to the vocational centres. Which means, we in the province must lift the profile of vocational centres. And this is being planned for.”
Host LLG President, Sam Piniau, urged the school management to look after the truck and use it for its intended purpose.
“There are big projects in the province like the SEZ that the government will be looking at schools like Raval for its workforce, because we need skilled trade workers to feed these big projects coming up in the province,” he stated.