Rural schools in Morobe Province can also follow in the steps of Omili Primary School to get much-needed textbooks.
Omili’s head teacher went to the nation’s capital to source their materials using the school’s funds.
For schools that cannot afford to make the trip, Morobe’s government tuition fee subsidy officer, Joseph Tounokon, suggests that they can move collectively to source teaching and learning materials.
“For schools that don’t have the materials, they can go through the district education office to make arrangements, then come to the provincial education office so the provincial education advisor can approve their travel so they can go out to the department of education,” Tounokon stated.
“That’s the approved process to be followed.
“But what our Omili head teacher has done, he has done great. He was already there [Port Moresby] and he rang our PPA [provincial program advisor], who said ‘OK, you can continue’.
“I congratulate him for that.”
Omili primary students and teachers are currently using their new textbooks that were shipped from Port Moresby last Thursday.
Head teacher, Mark Nanu, said he was inspired by Lanakapi and Christ the King head teachers who acquired their learning materials using their initiative.
Following in their footstep, he went to Port Moresby and spent two weeks there, organising for the purchase and shipping of their materials.
“I encourage other schools to do the same. Don’t just sit and wait,” Nanu stated.