Wingei Junior High School in West Yangoru LLG in East Sepik Province is set to become a secondary school in 2026. This was announced by the Minister for International Trade and Investment and Yangoru-Saussia MP, Richard Maru, during the school’s 4th Grade 10 and 2nd Grade 8 graduation yesterday, Tuesday 3rd December 2024. Wingei Junior High School is a newly established high school in Yangoru-Saussia District of East Sepik Province. It was established in 2020 under the leadership of Minister Maru. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 5, 2024, by Late Jimmy Uguro, then Minister for Education, marking the elevation of the school from a junior high school to a secondary school and also to commence the construction of the secondary school. Since then, the Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) has spent K2 million (this year alone) to build four new teachers’ houses, fencing around the school, and an administration building which is under construction. “We are preparing Wingei High School to be a secondary school; however, it is currently not ready to be a secondary school because it does not have a library, science and computer labs, and more classroom and teachers’ houses. We have to make sure everything is in order before we become a secondary school. If we rush it, we would destroy the future of our children. We are not ready now, but we will be ready to receive our first grade 11 students come 2026,” said Minister Maru. Minister Maru announced that the building of a new library will commence in January next year, followed by three science labs, a computer lab, and four more teachers’ houses to prepare the school for its secondary status. The school being situated at the border of Yangoru-Saussia and Maprik Districts, will serve all West Yangoru LLG and Roma and Ulupurin villages in Yamil-Tamawi LLG of Maprik District. Adding to this, the Member for Maprik Libert Kapris made a commitment, on behalf of the Maprik DDA, to build a state-of-the-art grade 11 block for the school at the cost of K500,000 next year. “I want to thank Hon. Kapris and the Maprik DDA for their commitment. Yangoru-Saussia DDA has a vision that one day Wingei Junior High School will become a School of Excellence (SOE), and one day the school might offer STEM education. That is why it is important that we plan well and develop this school with the type of facilities that will meet the requirements of the Department of Education and facilities that is as good as any SOE in the country,” said Minister Maru. To the graduating students, Minister Maru said, “You have to make a choice on your big day today on who you want to be in the future. No one gets up there without a dream, hard work, commitment, and dedication. You must have a plan and a vision when you are still young and in school. Put God first as your School Motto says, go out there and make us proud.”