Twenty-five officers of the National Department of Education were formally honoured today at the 2026 Retirees’ Official Farewell Ceremony, marking the conclusion of decades of dedicated service spent shaping Papua New Guinea’s education system.

Minister for Education, Hon. Francis Kikin Siune, congratulated the cohort and expressed his gratitude to the 25 retirees for their lasting contributions to the nation.

Minister Siune noted that the departing group comprised 20 national officers and five non-citizen contract officers who served across the department and the wider education sector. Throughout their careers, some served in classrooms and school administrations. Others held technical and management, policy development, inspection and guidance.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Siune stated that the retirees' service exemplified commitment, sacrifice, professionalism, and discipline. 

He credited them with playing a pivotal role in developing national education frameworks, implementing government policies, strengthening institutional capacity, and positively shaping the lives of countless Papua New Guineans.

He emphasized that the national officers’ services were particularly significant because they had given “the productive years of their lives” to building an education system meant to serve generations to come.

“You have served with honour, and you have contributed with dedication,” Minister Siune told the retirees. He encouraged them to step into the next chapter of their lives with pride, dignity, and peace, and to enjoy well-deserved time with their families and personal pursuits.