Steamships Ltd., on behalf of John Swire & Sons (JS&S), officially handed over a new classroom building to Yanga Elementary School in Lae on 22 August 2025. The second classroom was presented to the School Board during a ceremony attended by students, parents, teachers and community members.
The milestone marks continued investment in rural education infrastructure, made possible through the Swire Philanthropic Fund (SPF). JS&S, a privately held UK-based company, has longstanding ties to Papua New Guinea through Swire Shipping, which operates nationwide, and as a major shareholder in Steamships for more than 50 years. The SPF supports education projects across the country and is administered locally by Steamships.
Steamships Managing Director Chris Daniells underscored the importance of investing in communities that underpin the company’s success.
“At Steamships, we recognise that sustainable progress begins with education. Our people are our greatest asset, and many of them come from communities like Yanga. Supporting local schools not only helps build a pipeline of future talent but also strengthens communities that have helped our business thrive,” Daniells said.
Yanga Elementary School was chosen for investment because many employees from Steamships’ operating companies — Consort Express Lines and Joint Venture Port Services — come from the Yanga, Sipaia and Wanang communities. The project responds directly to community-identified needs and reflects Steamships’ approach to inclusive, locally driven development.
The new classroom, valued at approximately PGK200,000, is a prefabricated steel building equipped with student and teacher furniture, blackboards, pinboards and other facilities. It is the second classroom delivered to the school under a two-year partnership aligned with the School’s Learning Improvement Plan (SLIP). Since 2024, PGK400,000 has been invested in the school.
The initiative supports key goals of Papua New Guinea’s National Education Plan 2021–2029 and Medium-Term Development Plan IV, reinforcing the government’s priorities for educational infrastructure and improved learning environments.
As the classrooms open their doors, Steamships and Swire encouraged the school community to take pride in the facilities and ensure they benefit generations of learners to come.
