Alain Deboismenu Catholic Junior High School has celebrated a milestone year of academic excellence, graduating 99 Grade 10 students and 35 Grade 8 students during its seventh graduation ceremony on Tuesday, 10 November 2026.
Held on the school grounds at Wama, the ceremony brought together students, families, staff, and community leaders to recognise the graduates’ hard work. The institution has cemented its standing as one of Kairuku District’s premier schools after topping the district in the Grade 10 external examinations.
Guest of honour, Kairuku MP and Minister for Energy Hon. Peter Namea Isoaimo, attended alongside Mr. Peter Philip, Chief Executive Officer of North East Holdings Limited—the business arm of the North East Electorate. Philip sponsored the ceremony’s special prizes, including the prestigious Dux award.
Addressing the graduates as both a community leader and a parent with a daughter at the school, Philip encouraged students to set ambitious goals, make sacrifices, and stay focused as they transition to the next stage of their education. He cautioned them against spending excessive time on social media and other unproductive distractions, reminding them that discipline and persistence are vital to achieving success.
In his keynote address, Minister Isoaimo reflected on his own graduation and noted a positive shift in community awareness and student aspirations over the past five to seven years. He urged the graduates to pursue diverse professional careers, including law, accounting, engineering, and medicine.
“The future of Kairuku and Papua New Guinea rests in your hands,” Minister Isoaimo told the students. He reiterated that human resource development and education remain top priorities for the district, pointing to ongoing district investments in school infrastructure and learning resources across Kairuku.
Earlier in the programme, school principal Mr. Henry Aupu congratulated the graduates and commended the Grade 10 class of 2026 for their resilience during the prolonged El Niño drought, noting that the school remained open and operational even as other institutions were forced to close.
Aupu credited the cohort's strong performance to student determination and teacher dedication. Preliminary figures indicate that 28 students have already been confirmed eligible for Grade 11, while the progression of another 17 students awaits final Grade 9 and 10 internal assessments. Additionally, between eight and 10 students are tipped for selection into National Schools of Excellence—a milestone Aupu described as historic for the school.
He reminded continuing students not to neglect their internal assessments and called on parents to help shield their children from social distractions, particularly those linked to local election-related activities.
Aupu also advised the school community that, per the Central Province Education Board calendar, schools across the province are scheduled to close for the academic year on 20 November. He thanked Minister Isoaimo for backing the school since its inception and acknowledged Central Governor Rufina Peter for her continued support to the school community and board.
The ceremony celebrated not only the academic success of the 2026 cohort, but also the collective commitment of parents, teachers, and leaders to expanding educational opportunities for young people in Kairuku.