Wawin National School of Excellence in the Morobe Province has received an Internet Connection boost from DataCo PNG Limited during its 22nd graduation ceremony this year. Established in 2001, the school was privileged to announce the Internet connection at its graduation, which saw DataCo PNG Limited's General Manager Commercial, Une O' Ome, representing DataCo PNG Limited's Chief Executive Officer Paul Komboi, who was unable to attend as the keynote speaker. "I am also very proud to announce that DataCo PNG Ltd has launched a broadband Internet connection for Wawin National School of Excellence," O' Ome stated. "The school is now connected to the Internet through fiber optic technology." "This is something that we Papua New Guineans have dreamed of having access to in schools," O' Ome added. This positive news was shared in front of 127 graduating Grade 12 students, their parents, guardians, and key stakeholders present at the event. School Principal Mr. Pal Pu expressed gratitude to DataCo PNG Ltd for its long-term investment in the school. "Your investment is beneficial for our country, where everything is now transitioning into a digital system, and it is a timely investment," Pu remarked. "We have been planning to connect this school for years but were searching for ways to start." "You have come to answer our unanswered plans, which will have a great impact on nation building," Pu continued. Students’ representative co-president Hembesause Brendon thanked DataCo PNG Ltd for the investment, stating that future generations of students would benefit greatly. "On behalf of this year's students, I am very grateful for the best network the school has in connecting with this important partner in delivering quality education for the good of our country," Brendon said.

Communities from Ward seven in Wain Erap Local Level Government (LLG) area in the Nawaeb District of Morobe province continue to lack proper access, in the form of an improved road link, to the main centers despite various developments taking place close to them. Villages like Bungki, Sintogura, and Mingima situated in Ward seven have been neglected for so long. Sintogura and Mingima villagers see airplanes landing and taking off at Nadzab International Airport daily from the mountain overlooking Nadzab, but sadly, they do not have proper access to roads. Several attempts to link road services to the communities by previous Members of Parliament (MP) and the current MP, Theo Pelgen did not eventuate, leaving the people to continue walking to access services, and even having to walk for hours to reach the main access road through Wawin National School of Excellence area. The Ward Councillor, Mr. Paul Tua said there is a road connection but government after government did not consider upgrading it to ease access. He said his ward area has a good number of vanilla, coffee and cocoa farmers but the problem is that there is no road access. "The only company vehicle that risks through the terrain mountain road is Wia trade to buy coffee." "Only the local coffee traders have limited access to board the company vehicle to reach road, but then after selling their coffee beans with the company, they board PMVs to travel back via Wawin National School of Excellence way." "Locals have the money to buy store goods, but they fear how they would transport their cargoes back home," Tua said. Mr. Gwang Philip, a local from Dinsu village at Wawin said most times locals from Sintogura, Mingima and Bungki villages carry loads of garden produce and commodities like cocoa, vanilla and coffee, spend a night with them at Wawin before travelling to their destinations. "These people from the three communities are very hard-working people. Even their villages do not have access to upgraded road, but they work very hard by carrying loads of cargoes coming down and walking up the mountains to their families and households, " Gwang said. Nevertheless, the good news is that road infrastructure projects is one of the priorities of the current MP and funds will be made available for such road links says the Nawaeb District Administration.

The proposed township at the borders of Nawaeb and Huon Gulf districts of Morobe province will definitely serve a huge population, if the government goes through with the plan to build this township. The proposed township is an initiative of former Morobe Governor Mr. Ginson Saunu, where current Governor Luther Wenge has pledged to back the proposal. The proposed township was planned to be established at where the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Livestock is operating at Wawin. According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Livestock Manager, Mr. Bamun Bange, the previous government had allocated an instalment funding of K1.5 million to an investor as a counter funding to commence the project. He said the proposed township was strategically placed at a spot where it will serve people from the far end of Nawaeb District, where services have been neglected over the years in those areas. "Communities like Fayang, Siara, Mamai, Bugeba, Sintogura, Mingima, and Bungki were forgotten Communities," he said. "Even the only national school of excellence (Wawin) in the province is situated at a grassland, about 30 minutes drive away from the Okuk national highway," Bange said.

Parents and guardians of students attending schools in Lower Watut in Huon Gulf district of Morobe, have raised concerns over the safety of their children regarding the fast-flowing Watut river. A clear indication of students' safety in relation to the Watut river was seen in students' attendances in schools along the Watut river over the years. This year, almost the majority of students withdrew from their studies following continuous rain and floods in the area. At Wawas primary school, the majority of the students did mass withdrawal without any formal arrangements that instigated inspection and investigation to schools along the area. Alipso Garap, a community spokesman of Jimin village said students' attendances over the years have been affected by Watut River. "Our kids withdraw from schools every year when it floods," "Watut river is fast and is risky. We have dug out canoes overturned by floods with loads of cargoes and passengers over the years, " "Some cargoes go missing, passengers lose their properties, and sometimes they drown," Garap said. Garap said communities and students really need foot bridges to help relief daily challenges they face in the area. Wawas primary school board chairman Awateng Kado said students from his area withdraw from studies when the flood continues, " "Students start to lose interest on their studies when they take more than three days off from attending schools." "Taking three or four days off eventually leads to students losing interest from studies." "We have no choice, but we follow how the situation is on the ground. If the education division in the province, our MP or governor, can help build foot bridges along the river linking schools, will greatly relieve our kids' daily challenges to attend to schools," Kado said. Wampar Local Level Government (LLG) primary schools inspector, Buam Damap is aware of the situation and has discussed amicable ways with parents and the school board of management on how communities and kids would have access to schools safely. Damap said recommendations will be made to the LLG council president, the district administration, and the member for parliament, Jason Peter to look for ways on creating better and safer ways for students to have access to and from schools on a daily basis. "I will do recommendations to responsible people who are in authority to consider building bridges." "Building bridges will be up to people in authority," Damap said. Damap said a primary school in the area, Wawas is on temporary suspension await response for authorities to look for ways to connect schools with bridges.

The Wawin National School of Excellence governing board has warned its grade 12 students not to be involved in any illegal activities that would disturb them from sitting for their national examination. School's governing board chairman Mr. Johnson Obless gave a stern warning during the grade 12s banquet program staged inside the school campus last night. "For this year, we had minimal records of disciplinary cases, and I dont want to hear or see reports of you students missing on your national exams," "After your banquet meal, don't try to go involved in any illegal activities that would put you off from sitting for your final tests," "You all have come a long way so far, and you should maintain that discipline through your final tests." "For this year, we have improved on disciplinary cases, and I am very proud of your all. Please maintain this through to your exams and your graduation," Obless said. Reverend Elymas Bakung of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea who was invited as one of the guests, gave a bold inspirational speech on individual values where each student should exercise as students from the country's national school of excellence. "You will never find human values from physics, chemistry, and biology laws." "Principles that will guide you to exercise values are words only found in the bible, and it will only work out when you place rightly and exercise according to how you interpret," Bakung said. Bakung also urged students to set their benchmarks to achieve success in their lives, not only in academic activities only but in life in general. Meantime, Morobe Provincial Health Authority (PHA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Kipas Binga in his keynote speech urged the students to find better pathways in life. "In life, we should ask ourselves these four main questions. Where did I come from, why am I here, when will I do things right, and what is life after my death?" "After answering yourself, you should have the culture of always maintaining persistence and self-esteem on whatever you would like to do in your life, especially studies and work." "Getting married should not be in your plans till you get a job, have enough to look after your family, then you should later consider," Binga said. In an almost four-hour programme, students received some very useful messages from the three key speakers to prepare themselves for their lifetime journeys.

Youths from Wawin in the Nawaeb district of Morobe have organized a weeklong sports tournament to celebrate with Papua New Guinea's 50th Independence Anniversary. Unity Congregation youths from Dingsu village in Wawin hosted a soccer tournament, which attracted 20 men's teams and seven women's teams, who registered and took part in the weeklong tournament which started on Monday. Teams came as far as Bundi camp in Lae, Lower Watut in Huon Gulf district, and Situm on the other side of Nawaeb. Unity Youths Congregation President, Bani Kanibe said the purpose of the tournament is to raise funds for youths who are members of Boana Evangelical Lutheran Church. "Under our youths five-star program, we have social services which is to engage youths in sports, music and mini small medium enterprise activities, which have been a missing gap." "This tournament and other activities we have planned to host, is to generate income to actually implement the five-star program." "Our youths through church run programmes were being kept intact which had seen minimal law and order problems in our community," Kanibe said. Tournament coordinator, Bob John said that after more than 10 years of absence in hosting tournaments in the area, they hosted this tournament to help raise funds for the youths. "We encountered trouble free since the tournament started, and we expect a good turnout by this Saturday to play finals." "We haven't received any support from business houses or government to host this tournament, but we trust this tournament will end on high note," John said.

Locals from Wain and Erap Local Level Government (LLG) area in Nawaeb District, Morobe are facing double burden on road access after the disaster hit the area. The burden on accessing road services came after the area faced continuous heavy rains. Landslides disrupted road access to Erap and Wain since last Friday that blocked off vehicles from moving in and out of the areas. A landslide at Mungkip village had blocked the road access from Kumrik to Mumu River. In Erap, landslide cut off road access at Kasuka and Qwanamang areas, and in Wain, landslides blocked off road access at Perry village including roads leading to Popof village and towards Busu Bridge. Morobe Provincial works division was engaged to work on clearing the landslides, and the work already commenced from the Wain area. Unfortunately, locals from Mungkip village took advantage of the situation and made demands to the district to pay them before new access roads could be built. Two different groups from the same village have pushed their demands for the district to pay them before new roads could be built. At Kasuka, locals demanded K250, 000 before the new cut road could be constructed to link up with the main road from Wain. At Kumrik, locals have put a roadblock for vehicles not to pass through a portion of land that occupies their cash crops, but imposed a K50 fee to each vehicle operators to pay before they could access the area. A landowner, Jack Febe at Mungkip village, whose area has the only bit of space for vehicles to access, said they cannot allow vehicles to pass through as they have valuable cash crops and it's a residential area. "We will not allow any vehicles to pass through our residential area. In order to allow temporary access for vehicles, the district or the provincial government has to pay us K20, 000 before we can allow clearance to work on temporary access in our area." "In the meantime, we will close the area. But if vehicle operators insist to travel through, then they will have to pay K50 before we can allow the access, " Febe said. At the Kasuka landslide area where Allied PNG Group Ltd is working on a new cut road to link the main road, different groups of locals within the same village demanded the contractor and the district to settle them K250, 000 before work can continue. A community leader, Warin Tako, who spoke on behalf of the locals who demanded the K250, 000, said the matter has been discussed with the district administration, and they are aware of the matter. District administrator Mr. Buds Botike said his office is aware of the matters and will be attending soon to address them. As these demands for money continue into the second week, people from the hinterland areas of Wain and Erap continue to struggle to move their valuable cash crops to the main access road and eventually to the markets.

Four Local Level Government (LLG) Presidents in Bulolo district of Morobe province have petitioned their current member for parliament and the administration to respond to issues they see affecting the flow of basic services in the area. Long time serving Council President, Mr. Waka Daimon said that four major points have been raised by the four council presidents. "Firstly, we oppose the current MPs statement to retrieve machineries and vehicles from LLG presidents, LLG managers and police in the district," he said. "We strongly oppose the MPs statement as these vehicles were bought by the District Development Authority and the former MP late Sam Basil." "There were meeting minutes and resolutions being passed during the former MPs time, and the transfer of ownerships are now in our positions," Waka said. Waka's statement is in response to the current district MP Sam Basil Jnr's statement on retrieving vehicles currently in council presidents' positions, which got published in the two daily newspapers. Waka said the second point is on district office operations where the District Administrator (DA) fails to operate. "The district administrators have sworn oaths to serve districts under the Public Service Management Act. However, our DA has been operating outside of the district office and has not been attending to office hours," Waka said. He added that the third point of concern is on excluding LLG presidents from running DDA meetings, and the fourth point is the lack of prioritizing funds to LLGs to implement services at the third level government areas.