Classes have continued at Vakuta Primary School on Vakuta Island in the Trobriand Islands, Milne Bay Province, despite the impact of Cyclone Myla and ongoing infrastructure challenges affecting the school community.
Head Teacher Tommy Sabuima, said the school did not receive official instructions from education authorities to suspend classes due to communication difficulties caused by poor network coverage in the area.
According to Mr. Sabuima, the school experienced minor damage during the cyclone, with some structures and surrounding property affected by strong winds.
However, classes have continued as normal.
The school currently has 180 students, seven teachers, and five classes covering grades 3 to 8.
Mr. Sabuima said the school continues to operate using aging infrastructure, with many of the classrooms believed to date back to the colonial era.
He said classrooms and facilities are in poor condition and urgently require maintenance.
Among the school’s immediate needs are desks, chairs, tables, kitchen materials, and funding support to repair deteriorating classrooms.
He also confirmed that no direct assistance had been received from provincial education authorities following the cyclone.
The school reportedly received its first-quarter Government Tuition Fee Subsidy (GTFS) allocation, which was partly used for maintenance work on one classroom building.
However, uncertainty remains over second-quarter payments.
Meanwhile, he also revealed he had recently been removed from payroll after transferring from Central Province to Milne Bay province, although other teachers at the school continue to receive their salaries.
He said documentation and administrative processes linked to the transfer may have contributed to the payroll issue.
Limited communication services remain another major challenge for the school with staff often travelling to specific locations on the island to access network coverage and make phone calls.
Furthermore, school leaders are now appealing for assistance to improve classroom conditions and support ongoing maintenance work as the community continues recovering from the cyclone’s effects.
