BY RODRICK DESURI
Auki
Onelafa Community High School (CHS) in East Fataleka, Malaita, is yet to have essential resources for its students after their newly constructed two-story building was destroyed by fire in 2021.
The fire incident significantly impacted the whole school community and the provider’s morale to create a good learning environment for students.
The school is appealing for help from responsible authorities, government and donors.
The razed classroom was funded by the Government’s Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF), valued at approximately $1.5 million.
In an interview with school principal, Alex Soloi, he said they are still waiting for the required resources for their students.
He said they are managing with the limited resources that have been supplied to them.
“Until now, we haven’t fully recovered from the fire incident involving our new school building because our morale has been impacted and is really down after the building was burned.
“However, we are slowly managing to continue with the limited resources that we have, at least to keep teaching our students,” he said.
He said they should have received their final set of resources this year, but unfortunately the authority has sent them to communities affected by Cyclone Maila in the Western and Choiseul provinces.
When asked if there are any plans to build a new classroom to replace the burnt one, Mr Soloi said during their Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meeting, they planned to start building a new two-story building.
“Currently, we are starting a new one. It will go in a new direction, and not on the old burnt site,” he said.
He said the school also needs support from responsible authorities, non-government organisations and donors in areas such as water tanks, building materials, and necessary resources for the students.
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