Rai Coast school opens a lab

By JAMES G KILA
TWO new outstanding teaching and learning infrastructures in the form of a school library and a science laboratory were officially launched recently at remote Jamad Primay School near Marakum village in Ward 2 of Astrolabe Bay local level government in Rai Coast district, Madang.
It takes about an hour and thirty minutes by banana boat to reach Marakum which is situated south-west of Madang town along the picturesque shoreline of the Astrolabe Bay with the towering Finistere range the backdrop.
The name Marakum became famous about this time in 2013 following a tragic plane crash in the vicinity at nearby Guabe river. Many had sadly lost loved ones who had perished during the fiery airplane disaster.

The new buildings at Jamad Primary School are a result of a cordial working relationship which was fostered between a logging investor Golden Rise Investment Limited and local landowner company, Rai Coast Holdings Limited.
These companies had engaged a local architect and builder Nathaniel Nayak of Ozone Home Builders Limited in constructing the two beautiful facilities in a remote setting to boost learning and education for the children in Rai Coast district.
The new school library and the science laboratory buildings are uniquely impressive in a sense that readily available local materials like hardwood kwila timber and grey sand from the beach were used in them and they are expected to last a very long time.
Moreover, local youth who were once tagged ‘drug addicts’ were utilised during their practical carpentry skills training to construct these two buildings which are so remarkable just by their outstanding physical appearances.
Both projects were funded by the timber resource owners of Rai Coast timber rights purchase (TRP) area through their levies, according to GRI Limited managing director Daniel Neo.
An appreciative Rai Coast district education advisor, Lamang Bawon in his address during the gathering thanked GRI Limited and Rai Coast Holdings, and stated that the two new learning infrastructures would certainly accelerate the process for Jamad Primary School to obtain junior high school status.
Another remarkable story to tell was that the actual builders were 15 village youths who attended the basic carpentry skills training also graduated with certificates during the launching of the two facilities.
Neo in his address challenged youths and the people in Marakum generally to change their mindset and abstain from taking drugs and consuming homebrew and focus in worthwhile activities to sustain their lives and become better citizens of the future in their respective communities and society at large.
He pointed out that development was the eternal theme of human societies anywhere in the world.
Neo told the gathering that the two new buildings had not come about from any project proposal letters or requests from the school board and administration. The idea was hatched following a family discussion between ‘old man’ and managing director Bateng Puto and his children who wisely decided upon investing in infrastructure at Jamad school to educate children to acquire knowledge to open their educational horizons and be better citizens of Rai Coast. Madang and PNG. It was a visionary decision.
Interestingly, Puto who was a former PNG Defence Force officer from the ‘old school’ is a firm believer to invigorate Rai Coast through education, science and accelerative development.
Consequently, these two projects are the first such buildings in the district which is and an important development, especially for a rural school.
“Initially many people in the village thought such projects would not take place. They thought it was just talk and no physical structure would be erected,” Puto said.
“The new investor I engaged with in 2016/2017 possess a genuine heart to help the resource owners and bring positive changes to the remote communities in Rai Coast and also boost learning for future elites of the district,” Puto said.
Old Puto was indeed a proud and satisfied man also because a couple of days before the official commissioning of the two new buildings at Jamad Primary School he turned 75 years old. To celebrate the occasion, the old chap drank two cans of green can SP beer and shared two big cooked tilapia fish.
Having been groomed and disciplined in the old school in the military, Puto appealed to the Marakum village leaders and particularly the youths to change their mindset and grasp positive change and development in their community.
He explained that the local architect Nathaniel Nayak did not sign a contractual arrangement to build the library and the science laboratory. He used his God-given knowledge and skills to train young men who were once ‘drug bodies’ and ‘yawa bodies’ but wanted to change and attended.
Astrolabe Bay LLG president Igu Gasom thanked Rai Coast Holdings and GRI Limited for their initiative to invest in education for the children of Rai Coast district.
The Member for Rai Coast Kessy Sawang was invited by the board of management of Jamad Primary school to be the guest of honour on the occasion.
Her invitation was also had special signification since it was her father, the late William Sawang during his term as a provincial assembly member in the 1980s, had constructed two classrooms at Jamad Primary School which are now old and dilapidated and certainly need to be replaced soon.
In her address she told the gathering that from the District Services Improvement Project (DSIP) funds, the K2million earmarked for education would be best utilised to see changes in education standards in Rai Coast district.
She also announced an assistance of K20,000 for the purchase of equipment for the new science laboratory at Jamad Primary School.
Sawang also said she was thankful for the private partnership between the Golden Rise Investment Limited and landowner company, Rai Coast Holdings Limited.
Also present at the opening was Defence Minister Win Daki who was on an official visit to the district.
The MP went further to announcing a commitment of of K200,000 for the construction of a double classroom at Jamad primary school to boost its pathway to achieving its aim to be a junior high school in the Bongu cluster of Astrobe Bay LLG.
Rai Coast district education advisor, Lamang Bawon thanked the managing director of Rai Coast Holdings, Bateng Puto and Daniel Neo of Golden Rise Investment Limited for their vision in investing in education.