BSP Financial Group Ltd. has handed over a new double classroom, 80 desks and a 5,000-litre water tank to Gum Primary School in Madang Province under its 50for50 GivimBek Initiative.
The project was nominated by BSP employees in Madang and delivered with support from the school, parents, community members and local business partners.
Project lead Bernadette Massen, who has been based in Madang for more than 10 years, said she became aware of the school's need for additional classroom space through a fundraising drive organised by its head teacher.
Originally from Morobe Province, Massen said she applied for support through the initiative after learning that parents and teachers were raising funds to complete a partially constructed classroom.
She said the project brought together BSP employees, branch management, parents and community volunteers to provide facilities that would benefit students and ease the financial burden on families.
"We hope these new facilities will support teachers, improve learning outcomes and help students achieve better results," Massen said.
She added that parents and volunteers contributed their time, skills and resources to construct the classroom, reflecting the community partnership promoted by the initiative.
BSP Group General Manager for Retail Bank Ronesh Dayal, who officiated at the handover, said community development was most effective when organisations and local residents shared a commitment to improving lives and creating opportunities for future generations.
"At BSP, we believe that when we prosper, our communities should prosper too," Dayal said.
He said the new facilities reflected the partnership between BSP, the school, the community and local businesses.
Dayal acknowledged the school's board and management, parents who volunteered during construction, and local businessmen Steven Segifok and Jeffrey Turirik for their personal contributions to the project.
Ward 18 Councillor Peter Sepur said the facilities would serve more than 10,000 people across surrounding wards, where a growing number of school-aged children attend Gum Primary School.
He said the project had strengthened collaboration among local communities while supporting shared priorities in education, law and order and the welfare of children.
Sepur also pledged that the community would ensure the facilities were properly maintained.
Gum Primary School head teacher Jeffrey Baisen said the school had enrolled 1,000 students this year, supported by 35 teaching staff, creating an urgent need for additional learning space.
He said the new classroom had been designed to accommodate larger class sizes, with wider custom-built blackboards and improved ventilation to provide a more comfortable learning environment.
Baisen said the additional classroom, desks and water tank would help the school accommodate its growing student population and support its learning needs in the coming years.
Dayal congratulated the school's board, parents and students, as well as the BSP employees who initiated the project. He also recognised the BSP Madang team's contribution to delivering the facilities.
The Gum Primary School project follows other 50for50 GivimBek initiatives delivered in Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Hela, Simbu, Western Province, the National Capital District, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and Central Province.
The initiative forms part of BSP's 50th anniversary community commitment, supporting projects in communities across Papua New Guinea and the wider South Pacific.
About BSP
BSP Financial Group Ltd. is a South Pacific banking group with roots in Papua New Guinea dating back to 1916. It serves about three million retail, business, corporate and institutional customers across Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
The group operates a regional network of 124 branches and 596 ATMs, alongside digital banking services. BSP is listed on the Papua New Guinea Exchange (PNGX: BSP) and the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
