Mangarong Primary School, one of the most hard-to-reach schools situated on the borderlands between Madang and East Sepik provinces, received a significant early Christmas present last week; a cheque worth K200, 000 delivered by the Provincial Member and Governor for Madang, Ramsey Pariwa.
Governor Pariwa travelled by helicopter to the school, nestled between the Ramu and Sepik river deltas, to personally deliver the financial assistance.
The gesture was met with delight and profound appreciation from the teachers, students, and school board members.
The air was filled with the rhythmic beat of kundu drums, echoing across a tributary of the Ramu River, and a colorful display of traditional regalia was presented to acknowledge the Governor and his delegation.
Mid-year, Governor Pariwa visited Mangarong in the Yawar Local Level Government (LLG) of Bogia District to witness firsthand the challenges faced by children living on the fringes of government services.
During that visit, he made a firm commitment to assist, underscoring his administration’s high priority on education and building the province’s human resources.
School Board Chairman Mr. Andrew Kabai expressed his deep gratitude for the financial assistance, stating it would “greatly ease the burden of space” needed to accommodate the increasing number of school children.
Kabai highlighted the historic nature of the occasion, noting that since Papua New Guinea’s independence, this remote area had never been visited by any political leader or Governor.
“You are the first Governor of Madang to visit our remote area twice, and we are so grateful for your servant leadership,” Kabai stated.
He also acknowledged Governor Pariwa’s tireless advocacy and prioritization of education throughout Madang province, regardless of location or circumstances.
“His support to remote schools reflects a true spirit of servant leadership and continues to inspire positive change across remote schools in Madang province,” Kabai added.
In addition, before presenting the cheque, Governor Pariwa displayed his commitment to transparency by publicly signing the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the board chairman, Andrew Kabai, and the Deputy head teacher in front of the assembled community.
In his address, Governor Pariwa commended the local people for maintaining law and order and for their continued faith in supporting education within their area.
He further emphasized that the community does not need police intervention as long as they maintain their faith in God and continue to attend church services.
