BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
Faiako Community High School on West Kwara’ae , Malaita province took ownership of a double story classroom building worth SBD$2 million on Thursday.
The project was officially handed over by Minister for Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS), Hon Rolland Seleso and Acting Premier of Malaita province, Nelson Lenty to the communities of Faiako.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony Minister Seleso said the project was funded under the Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF) to the province implemented by MPGIS and the national government.
He said the project costs $2, 167,210 and was designed to accommodate more than 240 students where 50 percent of whom would be girls.
Seleso said the new six classroom block will accommodate a population of about 6,747 and therefore, it expects that the school enrollment for Faiako will increase as a direct result of the new project.
He said the DCGA government has always placed great emphasis on primary and higher education amongst its top policy priorities.
“The government believes that creating a comfortable learning environment such as Faiako CHS will not only encourage parents to enroll their children, but also motivate the students to pass their exams,” Seleso said.
He said the impacts of constructing the classroom will only be realized when pass rates for the school have increased, and this will depend on the combined efforts of teachers, parents and students themselves.
Seleso said the 240 students who will occupy these six classroom blocks belong to a generation that is the future leaders of not only Malaita, but also the entire country.
“It is therefore, clear that by investing in education, we are investing in the future of Solomon Islands. It is only through education that we can prepare the next generation of leaders of this country.
“We cannot move this country forward without high quality education that may only facilitated in a comfortable environment as demonstrated by MPG.
“I wish to appeal to the school authorities and the communities whose children would utilize this infrastructure to take great care of it.
“It is an expensive investment that many communities are requesting, but could not get.
“I therefore expect the communities of ward 3 (Buma) and the school authorities to help the province to maintain this valuable asset for many more generations to come,” he said.
