The division of education in Kimbe town in West New Britain (WNB) is working on plan a to improve teacher-student ratio in the province. Provincial Education Executive Manager Mr Vincent Kalatia mentioned that teacher-student ratio is a big problem in schools like Kimbe Secondary, Hoskins Secondary, including schools in the town area. The current ratio is about 1-to-50-studnet ratio which is not good. Mr. Kalatia also mentioned that primary and junior high schools are also experiencing this problem and is even worse at this time. All school inspectors in the province are currently based at Kimbe Secondary school to come…
Author: Philip SAPAU
The Seventh Day Adventist Church Mission in Bougainville has celebrated its 100th Anniversary, which started on the 18th of December 2024 and will finish on the 31st of December 2024. The two weeks long programs are a worship celebration program, that saw more that 6000 seventh day Adventist church members from Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB), New Guinea Islands, and even from the neighbouring Islands across the Solomon Islands turned up to mark this historic event in the history of Seventh Day Adventist church in AROB. The 100 years Anniversary program is happening at Rumba, in Kieta under the theme,…
West New Britain’s Provincial Education Board remains uncertain over the issue of certain schools closing in the province during Terms 3 & 4 of 2023 without proper reports from the schools’ Board of Management or Board of Governors. A couple of these schools included Kaliai High School and Gloucester Secondary School that had closed for reasons unknown whereas other schools in the province closed due to law & order issues. WNB Provincial Education Board stated that teachers have been appointed to the school, have filled in their resumption of duty forms, and will be paid according to the position they…
Prior to the start of the 2024 academic year, teachers in West New Britain (WNB) province were instructed to find out about their newly appointed teaching positions at the education office, unless they have appealed against their appointments or were not given any appointments at all. This occurred after the education office in Kimbe saw teachers in masses querying about their appointments. Some teachers were reluctant to take up teaching posts especially in remote areas due to bad weather conditions. Under these circumstances the WNB Provincial Education Board acknowledged that these reasons are valid and proceeded to instructing these teachers…
More awareness is necessary to be conducted within the New Guinea Island (NGI) Region to around the use of Cannabis Marijuana. The selling, trading and consumption of Marijuana within the NGI region has risen drastically in the past year 2023. That’s from the Open Bay logging company site community leader Mr. Tony Kebo who stressed that serious awareness operations should be done so people can be educated on the dangerous long-term permanent effects of Marijuana when consumed. Also, to educate locals by introducing the new law implemented by the National Parliament if caught in selling or consuming of drugs. Mr.…
In preparation for the local level government (LLG) elections in July 2024 the Biala Town Community leader Mr. Sylvester Bogi is summoning the West New Britain (WNB) Electoral Commission Office to plan in advance to prevent insufficient time and rejection of eligible voters due to unprepared efforts of the common role list which occurred in 2022. Mr. Bogi described the 2022 National Gneral election to be the worst day in the history of elections in the country, also in WNB. Mr. Bogi has been in contact with the provincial electoral office in Kimbe to negotiate an understanding with the Head…
WNB Police will continue their Christmas and New Year operations in the province. Police have been encouraging the public to observe their timing of travel, movement in and out of Kimbe, Bialla, Kandrian-Gloucester – along the highway, they must also be careful, observing situations particularly when they are travelling in a group to avoid more armed hold-ups along the highway. Travelling along the two big rivers Toriu and Pandi is always a problem whenever there’s rain in the mountains, hence, the travelling public must be careful. PMV owners also have to cautious about the weather and the issue of overloading.…
West New Britain police will be out in full force during the New Year period operations. Police have reminded families to celebrate indoors during the New Year period and also encourage celebrants to participate in an orderly manner. Children and youth who are lighting up firecrackers have been advised also to proceed with the activity only when they’re celebrating and welcoming the New Year; but again it is too difficult this time for police to control the situation because there’s a lot of being sold by certain groups to the public. Another thing the police have been reminding the general…
West New Britain (WNB) Governor Sasindran Muthuvel is working closely in consultation with the Indian High Commission to reaffirm the committed K1 million relief supply that was promised by the Indian Government. According to Governor Muthuvel, the negotiation and arrangement process is going well. The Indian government will soon give an assistance of K1 million towards the current disaster relief camp. Furthermore, Muthuvel also shared his heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister James Marape and National Government for the commitment of K10 million Kina towards the Mount Ulawun disaster relief camps. The affected distressed people will remain until further notice by…
A community leader in Bialla Town Mr. Martin Samuel has reiterated the calls of West New Britain Provincial Police Commander and the Deputy Controller of the Mt. Ulawun operations; Supt. Peter Barkie in requesting the people currently living at the care centres, with villages close by, move away. Mr Martin said some people are seeking refuge for nothing and are just occupying the care centre. Mr. Martin added people from inland Pomio and Bago villages whose villages are unaffected, although they are working in Agri Oil Palms Ltd, and they were disrupted by the eruption, they will still have to…