A man is now in police custody for tampering with Grade 10 examination papers in a (named) private high school in Goroka, Eastern Highlands. The individual known by multiple names was caught on Saturday, October 14th, while he was attempting to travel from Port Moresby to Goroka. According to the Education Secretary Dr. Uke Kombra, the individual, was believed to have been working alongside the school. “This is a complicity between the individuals and the school itself – the school is supposed to secure these exam papers and distribute them.” “These criminals wanted to steal the papers and sell them to unsuspecting students or students who have not done well in school and are trying to cheat.” Dr. Kombra further clarified how the papers were tampered with prior to distribution. “All exam papers were wrapped in a special red tape that indicates when exam papers have been tampered with.” “However, a blade was used to cut through the exam wrapping on the side without disturbing the red tape, and later resealed with regular sticky tape; hence the invigilator who was supervising the exam could not tell that the papers had been tampered with.” “We discovered afterwards that there were 9 exam papers sealed when there should've been 10, but by then the other exam papers were already administered so we couldn’t do much.” Dr. Kombra has assured parents and teachers that the Education department has taken all measures to minimize cheating. “We have put a security system in place that does not allow the same exam paper to be given to every school in the country.” “Therefore, even if the papers are leaked, students still risk a chance of not getting their answers right.” Meanwhile, Secretary Kombra added that another individual was caught under similar circumstances in Jiwak

After a week of examinations earlier this month, all marking for Grade 10 papers should be completed. Approximately 76, 571 Grade 10s from 448 schools across the country sat for their National Examinations from October 9th – October 13th. Secretary for Education Dr. Uke Kombra stated that the latter procedures of the examinations should be conducted soon. “If there are still schools in provinces slow with marking, they should be completed by this early this week.” “At the conclusion of the marking, we will do quality checks and printing of the examination certificates – this will be the next phase of the Grade 10 examinations.” Dr. Kombra also thanked the officers, principals and provincial officials who were involved in the distribution of exam papers especially in remote areas. “While delivering exam papers, in some cases, individuals had to navigate rugged terrain and flooded waterways, but they managed to deliver exam papers and schools were able to start exams on time.” “Grade 11 selections should take place before the end of November.”

In the midst of having its Grade 12s sit for exams, Passam National High School is also having a fundraising dinner next month, to raise money for the school’s infrastructure maintenance. The school with its history of ups and downs has risen above its adversities and is striving to maintain its good name. The fundraising committee of Passam National High told PNG HAUSBUNG about their distraught towards the current state of the school. “This fundraising dinner was started with the intention of raising funds to help our school with building maintenance.” “Many of our students who graduated became noteworthy individuals whether it is in politics, education or health; some have gone overseas to study." "We’ve produced top-performing students over the years and yet the facilities we have are in bad state.” The school has had its fair share of troubles in the past with its temporary closure in 2011, disputes with locals and issues with regionalism. However, the school reopened in 2014 and has regained its reputation as a school of excellence. The fundraising dinner will be held at the Golden Bowl Restaurant, Port Moresby on the 11th of November with individual tickets – K300 and Tables of ten – K3000 from 6pm till late.

Like their counterparts, the Grade 12 students of Karkar Secondary School in Madang are also sitting for exams. However, while examinations are progressing successfully, the school’s ongoing issues are still present despite constant communication with higher authorities. Principal Mr. Jim Kaboanga stated that due to its location away from the mainland, running the establishment is quite costly. “When it comes to travelling and transportation of exam papers, since the school is on an island, people take a one-hour trip out from town, and then you have to take another boat for another one-hour trip to the school.” “And it doesn’t help that the fuel prices have currently skyrocketed.” “Sometimes we have to hire boats and if that’s not possible, we have to use ships.” Mr. Kaboanga added that the school’s heavy reliance on the Government Tuition Fee Subsidy (GTFS) also places an extra financial burden on the school. “The GTFS policy prevents the school from charging additional fees to parents; however, the subsidy itself is not being paid in full.” “We’ve tried seeking assistance from the district authorities but so far our cries have fallen on deaf ears.” The school is currently accommodating 187 Grade 12 students for examinations - a decrease from the 235 students that enrolled at the beginning of this year.

The Creative Arts Strand of the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) Music Division hosted their final recital on Monday October 16th, where each performer presented eight music pieces within four segments of their show. Four students were assessed based on the level of their artistic skills and competency in applying Western music theory in practice on the instrument of their choice. Speaking at the recital, Head of Division for Music Mr. Francis Be stated that a lot of people do not take creative arts seriously due to limited perception and lack of knowledge about arts education. “When it comes to music, we teach our students two sets of skills: hard skills and soft skills. Most of the time people see the hard skills; that is, playing instruments and performing. But not everyone sees the soft skills – the self-confidence you need to develop, self-expression, the teamwork and interdependency members of a band have towards one another.“ “They learn how to express themselves individually while simultaneously contributing ideas to the team.” The students presenting were: · John Taylor Lindsey – Classical Guitar · Raffie Kagenifa – Piano · Maxwell Waira – Saxophone · Abraham Sepoe – Electric Guitar. The event took place at the Faculty of Creative Arts Raun Haus, and the music pieces presented by the students were Classical pieces, Jazz pieces, PNG Contemporary pieces and Popular Band pieces.

After a successful completion of Grade 10 examinations, the Grade 12s of Gordons Secondary School began their national exams. This year the school has 274 students sitting for upper secondary examinations. There are 31, 252 students nationwide in total sitting for this year’s Grade 12 national examinations. Gordons Secondary School Principal Mr. George Wek Kenega stated that there was no significant increase or decrease in student numbers. “We have almost the same number of students we used to have since 2022. Of course, during the school year, students withdraw due to absenteeism, and personal issues but the estimated numbers remain consistent.” Mr. Kenega added that the school did not face any issues in regard to exam papers in the weeks leading up to exam dates. “The exam papers were collected last Friday, and we had a meeting with the measurement services division; security and supervision matters were discussed.” “This morning we had the external invigilators arrive.” Their examination schedule is as follows: Oct 16th Session 1: Advance Mathematics Paper 1/ General Mathematics Paper 1 Session 2: History Oct 17th Session 1: Physics/ Accounting Session 2: Geography Oct 18th Session 1: Biology/ Economics Session 2: Business Studies Oct 19th Session 1: Language & Literature / Applied English Session 2: Chemistry/ Legal Studies Oct 20th Session 1: Information Communication Technology Session 2: Advance Mathematics Paper 2/ General Mathematics Paper 2 Mr. Kenega added that remedial classes also went smoothly, and they expect Grade 12s to perform well.

Colgate-Palmolive (PNG) Limited, in partnership with the National Department of Health recently launched ‘Global Handwashing Day’ on Friday 13th October, at the Salvation Army Boroko Primary school in Port Moresby where over 350 students and staff participated in the activities. This year’s theme was ‘Clean Hands Are Within Reach’ which saw over 306, 000 individuals wash their hands nationwide. Colgate-Palmolive told PNG Hausbung that washing hands helps to reduce the number of pathogens that causes diseases. “The simple act of cleaning hands saves lives and is one of the most important ways of reducing the spread of diarrheal diseases by 30% and acute respiratory infections by up to 20%. Furthermore, hand washing plays an important role in reducing the transmission of outbreak related pathogens such as cholera and COVID-19.” “Proper hand hygiene has also been linked to reduced school absenteeism and improvements in well-being, dignity, and overall productivity of individuals and communities.” Colgate-Palmolive’s school health program, Clean Hands Good Health (CHGH), has positively impacted over 2 million children since its introduction in 2012. “We encourage individuals, families and communities to work together to build healthy habits to prevent the spread of germs and diseases and maintain good health.” Meanwhile, Sunday October 15th also marked an annual international observance aimed at educating individuals of the importance of hand hygiene to everyone’s health.

Ten Bougainvillean women will commence work on an Australian berry farm under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. They are the first group of Bouganvilleans to be sent to Australia as part of the program. In order to support this crucial project, Australia collaborated closely with the Autonomous Bougainville Government, the PNG Government Labour Mobility Unit, and the PNG Government MPs from Bougainville. Australian High Commissioner to PNG, His Excellency Jon Philip stated that Australia has sought hard-working, Bougainvilleans to represent their region and expressed his delight in accomplishing that goal. “Through PALM, workers from all over the Pacific are learning useful skills and making money to support their families and communities.” “In Australia, they are filling labour shortages in a variety of sectors, including agriculture, food processing, and aged care.” “We anticipate that a large number of Bougainvilleans will use the program to travel to Australia after these remarkable women.” Since work began in January 2023, more than one hundred Bougainvilleans have been selected to join the PNG Labour Mobility Unit work-ready pool. Labor mobility is an important driver of economic growth and one of the most effective ways to support individuals and their communities. It also brings huge benefits to employers and host communities in Australia, while strengthening connections between people. Employee wellbeing is at the heart of the PALM program, through strong worker support provisions and reporting requirements.

Mainohana Catholic Technical High School, located in Kairuku district, Central Province, received 1,000 kg of rice donated by the Taiwan Technical Mission to Papua New Guinea (PNG), on Monday this week. This donation was supported by the Embassy of the Holy See and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBC PNGSI), through Caritas PNG (CPNG). Among those present to witness the event were: His Excellency Archbishop Fermin Emilio Sosa Rodriguez, Apostolic Nuncio to PNG and the Solomon Islands; His Excellency Mr. Ben Wang, Taiwan Ambassador to PNG; His Excellency Otto Separy, Bishop of the Diocese of Bereina and President of CBC PNGSI; Reverend Father. Giorgio Licini PIME, Secretary General of CBC PNGSI and Ms. Mavis Tito, National Director of CPNG. The Nucio expressed his gratitude to the Ambassador for choosing Caritas PNG as the recipient of the donation, stating that the gesture was an act of love by the Taiwanese people. He added his encouragement to the students not to take such donations for granted and to cherish the vocation of education. “Receiving this donation is wonderful and as a student, you can show your gratitude to the people of Taiwan by succeeding in your studies.” His Excellency Mr. Wang also said he was grateful that Caritas PNG was able to accept the donation and facilitate its delivery to the school. “Thanks to Caritas PNG and the Catholic Church network, we were able to get to know your school and come to offer this gift from the people of Taiwan, who are always ready to help those in need.” Rev. Bisop Otto of the Diocese of Bereina said the Church values and supports education, especially for young people, and cooperates with various organizations to help with donations, because of this, although just to a small extent, is also a sign of this support. The school’s principal Mr. Nick Maino said he was pleased to receive the donation and said this was a timely blessing, especially for boarding students who recently had to go home due to lack of food.

Dare2Create and Knack Studios will be hosting a poetry in motion event coming up in October called ‘Hope that Haunts You’, from the 26th -28th at Ullie Beier, Dance Studio, UPNG. The event will feature original poetry written by Knack Studios’ Andrew Kuliniasi and young poets in Port Moresby along with original contemporary dance pieces choreographed by Dare2Create’s Nadya Parascos. According to Kuliniasi, the event will showcase poetry containing elements of both traditional and contemporary horrors. “The poetry in motion show will portray two things: cultural superstitious beliefs and the modern horrors that we face now such as gender-based violence, sorcery-related violence, alcohol abuse and such.” “It’s a show that not only looks at the horrors and/or fears of Papua New Guinea but also compares and contrasts the different circumstances surrounding these beliefs.” “In the present, a lot of traditional superstition is deemed as irrational due to its paranormal nature, but we also want to see how these past fears influence the present fears that we have.” In regard to performance, Dare2Create’s Nadya Parascos stated that the dance pieces are interpretations of the poetry. “The dance styles used are distinctly my own style of choreography where I use the body and its angles, the face and its expressions to portray emotion and tell a story, hence even if you did not hear the words spoken, you will understand the message.” She added that she believes, as a stand-alone theatre production this showcase will be the first of its kind, however poetry-in-motion performances themselves are not a new thing. Parascos also actively shows her support for performing artists in the creative industry.

Community First PNG Project Initiatives, a venture that offers confidential online counselling care for women and youth, ran a one day  Kid's Counselling Day program on the 1st of October at the Wellness Lodge. Certified Clinical Supervisor, Professional Counsellor, and Child Protection Officer, Dorothy L. Koch, stated that this program was a response to meet children’s mental and behavioral needs. “Many kids are having a lot of issues communicating and experiencing behavioral issues amongst themselves and also towards their parents.” “Maybe those kids have been hurt through physical, sexual, verbal abuse or even bullying. Sometimes they can be affected by family separation; family loss; possibly a loved one passed on and the guardians do not know how to take care of the child.” “This is why we as professional counsellors, we are giving this opportunity to help not only children, but parents and guardians as well.” Presently, the organization does one-on-one therapy support; however, the program offers mass counselling. Koch sees this as a good prospect to impact a greater number of individuals and in turn, contribute to bettering communities. “A lot of these kids have unhealed trauma and do not know who to speak to and when to speak out; and October being the month of mental health, we want to start it off with this counselling program.” Koch added that after at least two years’ time they would like to see more mental hospitals, not just for children, but for adults and people with disabilities. “After 48 years of independence Papua New Guinea still has one psychiatric hospital, which is Laloki.” “We don’t just need financial support from sponsors, but we want people to realize that at the end of the day, these children, make up our family units, our community and our country.”

Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) recently presented a cheque of K5, 000 to the University of Papua New Guinea’s Earth Sciences Division to support the university’s 2023 Geosciences Open Day, which is to be staged today, October 6th. OTML Manager Corporate Affairs, Dexter Wagambie, presented the cheque to Dr. Jospeh Espi, Associate Professor and Head of Earth Sciences Division, in front of promising geoscientists and staff members. Dr. Espi stated that the last Open Day was held in the 1990s. “In 2022, we had our first Geosciences Open Day, and this year’s event will mark the second successive Geosciences Open Day.” “We are immensely grateful to OTML, under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Kedi Illimbit for their unwavering support.” Mr. Illimbit expressed his pride in OTML’s involvement. “OTML is proud to be part of this milestone, and we look forward to continuing this partnership to inspire the next generation of geoscientists.” The 2023 UPNG Geosciences Open Day promises to be a platform where geo-science enthusiasts, students, and professionals congregate to exchange ideas, showcase research, and inspire the future leaders of the industry. The year 2023 also has special significance for the Department of Earth Sciences as it celebrates the ‘Golden Jubilee’ - 50 years of teaching, research, and community service in geosciences, collaboration, and graduates with quality, relevance, innovation and progress, from 1973 to 2023.