As Papua New Guinea celebrates its 50th year of independence, the milestone underscores the urgent need for continued investment in infrastructure, institutions and human resources to secure the nation’s future. For provincial education projects, this progress must be paired with a firm commitment to safety, security, skilled personnel and sustained funding.
One such project is the Gobo School of Excellence in Jimi District, Jiwaka Province. The school has won strong backing from the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), provided the local community ensures the safety of teachers and students. The ambitious initiative, spearheaded by local MP and Minister for Civil Aviation Wake Goi, seeks to deliver elite secondary education for girls in this remote Highlands district, underpinned by significant government funding.
During a recent visit, a high-level TSC delegation met community leaders in Gobo to outline critical steps for teacher service validation and compliance ahead of the school’s planned opening next year.
TSC Commissioner for Operations Maini Ugaia commended Goi’s vision but emphasised the Commission’s key condition for assigning teachers.
“For us to bring this service… I have just one request. The school does not have a fence. If the school starts next year, the lives of the teachers and students must be looked after by you, the people of Gobo," he said.
This assurance of safety, Ugaia explained, is central to the TSC’s validation process. Without it, the school cannot be formally registered and qualified educators cannot be deployed.
Provincial Guidance Officer John Kui added that the institution is designed as a premier secondary school for 200 to 300 of the province’s top-performing female students from 27 feeder high schools, catering specifically to Grades 11 and 12.
“We are looking to get the girls that score the better marks,” Kui said. He noted that the school’s vision requires highly qualified teachers, whose appointments depend on TSC approval.
To meet this standard, Goi outlined a nine-month construction plan that includes new classrooms, five fully serviced teachers’ houses with water supply, solar power and gas stoves, as well as two vehicles — a Land Cruiser and an Isuzu truck — to support school operations. He also pledged personal financial backing to begin operations before national Tuition Fee Free (TFF) funding becomes available.
“We must finish the school good and proper in infrastructure. I’ll make sure we have the best teachers to give the best education to the students," he said.
