Christ the King Primary at ATS, outside Port Moresby, is a small school with big plans to expand to a secondary school by 2021.
On this path, it will successfully be a complete upper primary school next year and graduate its pioneer Grade Eight students.
However, the school is faced with one big challenge: To bring it under the national education system.
Principal Benard Karad says this is their biggest challenge at the moment because in order to do so, the land on which the school stands on, portion 699, has to be registered with the Lands Department. However, efforts to identify the landlord have taken longer than anticipated.
This Anglican-run school was established in 2009 but without the government’s recognition, it has been dependent on church funds.
Karad said the school had to close in 2011 when it was faced with no funds for teachers’ salary but an intervention of K10,000, donated by former Bishop Peter Ramsden, saw the school reopen.
“The teachers’ salary is taken care of by the O’Connor foundation and other school operations are from project fees by children. Most of the teachers here are retired, experienced and certified teachers,” he said.
The school also has further plans to build a learning centre and library, bring in computers and set-up internet, which will also serve the community.
With electricity and water issues, financial constraints still remain a key challenge.