Digicel PNG Foundation this week unveiled six new classrooms at three elementary school across three provinces in Papua New Guinea.

 

The first two new elementary classroom were unveiled at Kindeng Foursquare lower primary school, close to Mount Hagen Town. The existing classrooms were built from bush materials by the Kindeng community members. However, due to the increasing number of children enrolling the classroom had become overcrowded and the church was being used for the elementary school children

 

Now, with the additional of the new classrooms, the need for 50 elementary grade children will be catered for. Each of the classroom also come with a library including 150 books each, kindly donated by NGO Hope Worldwide, as well as school blackboards and slates.

 

The second launch took place at Talair elementary school in Kamkumu settlement, one of the fastest growing settlements in Lae City. With the rapid growth in numbers of children attending schools, more classroom space is desperately needed in this area and the two new classroom will accommodate at least 50 to 100 children attending the school.

 

The third launch, was in the Eastern Highlands in the rural village of Kururumba. The bush material classrooms were quickly deteriorating and in desperate need of replacement and the Digicel foundation kit structure classroom were greatly needed.

 

Kururumba elementary school was set up through the strong perseverance of one disabled community member and now School head Teacher, Mr. Gorogoro Hendare. Mr Gorogoro built the first bush material structure, consisting of 3 classroom, with this own hands four years ago bring the first elementary school for the local children in this area.

 

Since then the school has grown with more than 200 children attending the community has assisted in building new bush material classrooms. The School Board Chairperson who was present at the unveiling said "This is a welcome change of the environment for these young children who were used to having classes in the dark, on damp dirt floors. These new classroom are a huge step forward for us.The children are so exited they cannot wait to attend classed in these new facilities".

 

Marena Sansanm Board member of the Foundation and Digicel Regional Manager for the Highlands said "To be in a position to help elementary schools in the region in this way is a wonderful experience. These are all home grown, community based schools that get very little support from other sources than their own. People here don't have much and always give what they can. To be able to give a child a better quality education is something very precious that will last for a lifetime.

 

The next launch id planned for the 3rd of March at Kotini Elementary School near Mount Otto outside of Goroka town. Members from the four different clans will be attending the long anticipated opening of the two new classrooms and said that they were very happy to see this much needed new form of grass roots support in their village.

 

The Foundation is working closely withe Government, non-governmental organizations, churches and the private sector to get the Foundation's projects in the area of basic education intrastructure off the ground. The launches of the six elementary classrooms are part of the roll out of a total of 18 elementary school classrooms across the country for nine selected elementary schools nationwide.

 

The Foundation recently launched a double classroom project at Sivitatana primary school in Central Province and is currently engaged in five other primary school building projects across the country. by improving the infrastructure in the area of basic education, Digicel Foundation strives to empower communities which in turn will endow them with a positive outlook for their future.