School

Police arrested the teacher on Tuesday, November 7^th 2023. He is currently in jail awaiting a court hearing.

According to Kwikila police, it was alleged that the teacher in his 30s and a father of four was growing marijuana at the back of his house among tomatoes and cabbages.

Police reported that three marijuana plants were uprooted from his backyard. One was ready for harvesting while two were almost ready.

Five hundred students in grades nine and eleven, and teaching staff made a public oath to abstain from consuming alcohol and resorting to violence on campus. 

The event involved clergymen from various Christian church denominations in the district including pastors from various Pentecostal churches and Fr. Francis Yass from Saidor Parish. These clergymen were witnesses to the occasion.

Governor Saonu made the commitment to support the upgrade of the school during the ground-breaking ceremony on Saturday 01^st February.

Saonu said he will work closely with the Bulolo District Authority and LLG Leaders of Buang to ensure Bapa Primary School is ready for students to attend this year and onwards.

Landowners have already identified and approved the land for the school, and the funding will come from the provincial budget.

Saonu said there will be two more schools to be elevated this year – one at Nawaeb and the other at Finschhafen district.

The proposed new high schools are Olsobip High in Olsobip, St. Betila in Kiunga rural and Bedamuni High in Nomad.

This comes after the North Fly District Development Authority (DDA) passed its policy decision on their establishments during the first 2019 DDA meeting on February 11^th in remote Mougulu station in Nomad local level government.

North Fly MP and chairman, James Donald, said it was a government directive that all LLGs in the province should have a high school.

Minister for National Planning & Monitoring and Yangoru-Saussia MP, Richard Maru, launched the project for the first 4-in-1 classroom building and four teachers’ houses worth K1 million.

Winge Junior High is the second high school to be launched after the Minister launched the construction of Numbo Junior High on Wednesday.

For years, children from Winge have had to travel long distances to get to high schools in other parts of the district.

The suspect was taken into custody on Wednesday afternoon, a Broward County sheriff's spokesman said. The spokesman would not say if the suspect was a student.

"There are numerous fatalities. It's a horrific situation," Broward Country Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie told reporters.

He said the school district had no warning of a potential shooter and that there was no evidence of more than one shooter.

As of today, students have about 3 weeks before they resume classes.

Monday, January 29^th, is the date confirmed for Term 1 to begin.

This resumption date applies to all primary, secondary and vocational schools nationwide.

According to the Education Department’s draft calendar, Term 1 will comprise of 10 schooling weeks.

The Department of Education urges all principals and vocational centre managers to ensure that all teachers commence full teaching on that day.

(Picture: Unicef)

Charlie is the principal of Ted Diro Primary, one of NCD’s best performing school.

Sadly, this year, the school saw only half of its grade 8 students making it through to grade 9.

Charlie says this was not the case in previous years.

And while she blames this on teacher absenteeism and the development of students from stage to stage, she adds that many students this year were average and below average.

The poor grades, she says is because of lack of concentration by students.

The Kalamanagunan Primary School excitedly opened 7 teachers’ units last Friday (March 24) with traditional singsing, food and special gifts.

The pilot project, funded by the Kokopo Development Authority at a cost of K550,000, includes a 5-in-1 complex and a duplex.

Governor Ereman ToBaining Jnr, who officiated at the event, said the new infrastructure aligns with their government’s education plan.

“Teachers will not need to travel hours and hours and miles away to come to school. That is why we are housing them on campus.

Sunset State School in Mount Isa offers students breakfast, morning tea, and lunch free of charge — something teachers say is helping the entire community.

"It's available to everyone that comes here — any families, any children, any background," said principal Bryon Burke.

"We believe it's highly beneficial for our school and our kids, and certainly that's what the data is telling us."

Attendance rates improve

The index of community socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) ranks schools according to their level of educational advantage.