Koro Junior High School in East Yangoru LLG, East Sepik Province, recently opened a new 4-in-1 classroom from the Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA).
The new classroom was officially done last Friday by Yangoru-Saussia MP and Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru.
Established in 2022, Koro Junior High School serves students from five surrounding villages, namely Kamajain, Gumbi, Koro, Witipi 1, and Witipi 2, as well as nearby communities from Maprik District.
The school is located about 18 kilometres from the Sepik Highway and more than 20 kilometres from the nearest high school.
Minister Maru said the school’s remote location had long limited students’ ability to continue their education beyond primary school.
“The school is situated 18km from the Sepik Highway and over 20km from the nearest high school. Over the years, their children have not been educated beyond primary school.”
School principal Richard Morilomo expressed his gratitude for the new facility, describing it as a major boost for the school and local communities.
“We now have a reason to celebrate because we have received one of the best modern 4-in-1 classrooms in the district.”
“This infrastructure will help produce the human resource who will return and develop our vast plains.”
The project includes the newly constructed 4-in-1 classroom, built at a cost of K650,000, along with a brand-new Hino truck valued at K250,000, also provided by the DDA.
Minister Maru further announced that the district authority will fund another 4-in-1 classroom and construct four new staff houses for the school later this year.
“This is another example of how Yangoru-Saussia District is reaching the unreached in line with the Marape-Rosso Government’s policy of leaving no one behind.”
Minister Maru challenged the school community to improve academic performance following the investment and encouraged school leaders to develop a masterplan to guide future expansion, including ambitions to transition into an agriculture technical high school.
He also stated that education as the district’s most valuable resource.
“Yangoru-Saussia District has no resources such as oil, gas or gold, but we have our children so we will continue to invest in education to develop our human resource and green gold where we are already the leading district in cocoa production in the province and the country.”
Maru also urged local communities to unlock customary land for commercial agriculture projects, saying this would create employment opportunities for young people while driving infrastructure development.
“We have to create employment opportunities for students attending Koro Junior High School today by unlocking land for large-scale commercial agriculture projects.
“This will also enable other developments including bridges, sealed roads, electricity, and better living standards.”
“The new infrastructure is expected to improve learning conditions for students in one of East Sepik’s more remote areas while supporting the district’s broader focus on education and rural development.”
