Four primary schools in Sialum, part of Tewae-Siassi in Morobe Province, have been shut down for the 2024 academic year due to ongoing ethnic conflicts, with plans to reopen next year, according to a provincial education official. Keith Tangui, the Provincial Education Adviser, announced that Nunzen and Gerup primary schools, along with two others, will remain closed for the rest of 2024 as the continuous fighting in Sialum has caused significant disruptions to the students' education. Tangui explained that students would need to repeat their classes next year since the schools had closed at the beginning of the second term. "They have missed too many lessons," Tangui stated. "As a result, the students have not learned anything this year, and it's not feasible to continue lessons under these circumstances. It is already mid-year. The community must prioritize their children’s education, as these tribal conflicts have severely impacted the learning of innocent children."
The provincial education board and division have dispatched officers to monitor the situation, but with tensions still high, the decision was made to keep the schools closed. Tangui noted that teachers would be reassigned to other schools, while two would stay behind to safeguard school infrastructure and educational materials. "Those teachers will remain on the payroll as they have been tasked with protecting valuable property," he said. District Administrator Sam Egam confirmed the closure of the four primary schools and four sub-health centers, but assured that Sialum High School and the Sialum Health Centre continue to operate. Egam emphasized that the district's current priority is to put an end to the fighting permanently. Also read Comments are closed.
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