The soon to be “Wingei Secondary school” in Yangoru Saussia District of East Sepik Province will open its classrooms to enroll the first batch of Grade-11 students in the upcoming 2026 academic year.

The Yangoru-Saussia District MP and Miniser for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru confirmed the Wingei Junior High School will transition into a Secondary school and enroll first four classes of Grade-11’s following a full submission to minimum requirements within this year.

Following the official announcement of the Wingei Secondary School transition by the late Minister for Education Jimmy Uguro in 2024, the Yangoru-Saussia District Administration (DDA) have spent K3 million to build four new teachers houses, an administration building, a library, a computer lab to cater for 50 desktops, fencing around the school, and three science labs (construction to commence this month) to meet the minimum requirements of a secondary school.

Wingei Junior High School is situated on the border of Yangoru-Saussia and Maprik Districts, serving all West Yangoru LLG and Roma and Ulupirin Villages in Tami-Tamawi LLG of Marpik District. In recognition, the Maprik DDA under the leadership of Member, Libert Kapris, had invested in a state-of-the-art 4-in-1 classroom (a grade 11 block) for the school.

“I want to acknowledge Hon. Kapris for his support and for being the first Member for Maprik to invest in Yangoru-Saussia District. I want to also thank the Marape-Rosso Government for making available additional through the Kina for Kina and District Infrastructure Funding. We are accounting for every toea and making sure we have an impact and that we deliver our dream and do what we have to do for our people and our district,” said Maru.

 “Wingei Junior High School has demonstrated good academic performance, and it has the land and the support of the community to be upgraded to a secondary school. With its upscaling to a secondary school, this will bring the number of our secondary schools in the district to four, out of nine high schools (including the new Witipi High School that is under construction).

Minister Maru declared that Yangoru-Saussia District would rank with the highest number of high schools in ESP. He mentioned the Wingei Secondary School is expected to become a boarding school after 2027, highlighting the need for more boarding institutions. Maru stressed that boarding schools are important to ensure students are disciplined and properly mentored.

Wingei Junior High School is a newly established high school in Yangoru-Saussia District, established in 2019 under the leadership of Minister Maru and opened its doors for first enrolment of grade 9s in 2020. It is the only school in the district that had been a permanent school since day one with no classrooms built with bush materials.

The Chief of Wingei Census Division, Wesley Sangai, said he was impressed with the fast development progress of their new school and thanked the good Minister for his support and vision for Wingei Junior High School.