Wingei High School in the West Yangoru LLG of Yangoru-Saussia District in East Sepik Province is set to become a Secondary School in 2025 when the country celebrates 50 years of independence.
Local Member of Parliament (MP) and Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru made this announcement at the school’s third Grade 10 graduation yesterday.
Wingei High School is one of the newly established high schools in Yangoru-Saussia District. It was established in 2020.
“This is one of the schools in Yangoru-Saussia District with no classrooms built with bush materials; it has been a permanent school since day one. In a short time since its establishment, Wingei High School has demonstrated good academic performance and has been outstanding. They deserve to get a secondary school as soon as possible. By 2025 we need to have a secondary school when this country celebrates 50 years of independence. We will start building classrooms and staff houses for grades 11 and 12 starting next year and by 2026 we will witness the school’s first grade 12 graduation,” said Minister Maru.
Minister Maru added that the Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) not only planned to expand Wingei High School into a Secondary School but also planned to make it a boarding school.
“We currently have two boarding secondary schools in the district- Kubalia Secondary School in the Sausso LLG and Nagam Secondary School in the Numbo LLG. Our priority is to build two more boarding schools- one in East Yangoru LLG and another in West Yangoru LLG. In West Yangoru we will have Wingei Secondary School and we will also work on expanding Yangoru Secondary School in the East Yangoru LLG into a bigger boarding school,” said Minister Maru.
Minister Maru also encouraged the graduating students to aim for good grades.
“There are so many students graduating every year from schools around the country. Most of them are unable to find jobs and are graduating and we currently have the highest level of unemployment in our history. The only way that you can have a future is when you have good academic grades. Without good grades, you cannot find a good job because you are competing with so many other children throughout Papua New Guinea. Good grades are the future,” said Minister Maru.
“Yangoru-Saussia does not have gold, gas, or silver. We only have your God in Heaven and the people - our resource is our children. Our gold mine in the schools and that is why we will continue to invest in education,” added Minister Maru.