Kopkop College has surged into Papua New Guinea’s top ten private schools, crediting its success to a “positive school culture” rooted in confidence, respect, and excellence, according to Lower Secondary Principal Frederick Raka.

The school secured fifth place in the 2025 Grade 12 exams and third in Grade 10, marking a milestone for the institution founded by Dame Maria Kopkop.

From kindergarten to secondary levels, Kopkop fosters a family-oriented environment where students freely explore, make mistakes, and learn through practical projects, presentations, and hands-on activities.

“We build around values of confidence, respect, and excellence,” Raka said.

“Consistency in student discipline and values comes through guidance sessions, lessons, and student presentations.”

“One of the things that enhances learning is a school culture of always striving to do better.”

Guidance sessions motivate students to set personal goals, with teachers providing academic feedback and reinforcing expected values.

Extracurricular trips within and beyond the city further boost engagement, alongside strong parental involvement through regular conferencing to track progress and align on school expectations.

Moreover, Raka highlighted growth in project-based learning for subjects like Science, Math, and Social Studies, plus reading programs, quizzes, spelling bees, and public speaking.

An internal grade point average (GPA) system pushes students to exceed targets, building resilience.

Looking to 2026, the school plans enhanced remedial programs, curriculum delivery, and staff reporting.

Raka admitted that it is a huge challenge and praised the teachers while calling for unified support from parents, students, and staff to uphold the school’s ethos.

Furthermore, he urged parents to keep children at Kopkop for senior secondary to ensure stability and stronger outcomes.

“This achievement has brought great pride to our school community- parents, board, students, and staff- as partners in this journey.”