SDP to Pay Second Round of Western Province School Fees

Head teacher of Kwiroknai Primary School Jonathan Kolda standing in front of the new staff house built by SDP funding received in 2018.

PNG Sustainable Development Program Limited (SDP) is paying the second tranche of school project fees for students in elementary, through to secondary schools in Western province on October 11.

The first payment was made on July 12 to 517 schools out of 616 as some of the bank account details provided to SDP were invalid. The schools that missed out in the first payment and have now provided valid account details will receive both the first and second payments.

These funds are for much-needed equipment, supplies and facilities for the schools.

In August, SDP staff visited a number of schools in the North Fly area and were happy to see some projects that have been completed or are starting out as a result of this initiative.

Kwiroknai Primary School built a teacher’s house and paid for a new water tank with the funding received in 2018. The head teacher Mr. Jonathan Kolda thanked SDP for this initiative saying: “staff housing is a problem in the school, but with this funding, we are now able to provide this necessity to one of our staff.”

Mr. Kolda added that with the first payment received this year, the school had gone ahead and purchased new toilet pots and more water tanks for the other staff houses.

“We are grateful for this initiative, thank you SDP.”

Rumginae Primary School is also working towards building a staff house and getting a new water tank with the funding they received.

“We are excited and can’t wait to start work on this project,” said the head teacher Ms. Tanato Mulake. “We are also looking at investing in new text books,” she said. “Something our school really needs.”

Board chairman of Matkomnai Primary School Raymond Mathew said they recognize that security is a concern in their community and with SDP’s support through this initiative, they are now able to start a fencing project for their school. “With this support, we are able to take precautionary measures to safe guard our school with the fencing project,” he said.

SDP’s spending initiatives are focused on four areas, one of them being education through scholarship programs; improving schools’ infrastructure; funding school fees; using modern technology to support teachers and students in remote locations; and developing a Balimo-campus to provide FODE, teacher; and health worker training.

Other areas include; providing access to remote communities in Western Province, improving health, and creating livelihoods in the cash economy by developing commercially viable agribusiness.