One Love, One Heart, One Vision

- Walking Together Into The Heart

Day 2

Our first cultural sharing was given by Our PNG participants and The program began with the singing of the national anthem.

Our guests for the evening were Sr Rita Torpey and Sr Elaine Cochrane.

Sr Freda Papitalai secondary school for boys and girls on Manus Island

The school is named Christ the King School. Sr  Rita was the first headmistress and originally the school was a primary school. At first the secondary school was a girls school. In 1972 it became a coeducational school. Sr Rita was still the principal. The first lay principal was in 1993. Papitalai is the first secondary school in Manus Island. It caters for 600 students, 400 boarding. There are 32 on staff. Principals are Rita Torpey, Agnes Davey,  Damien Philben, Sr Rita Torpey, SrMargaret Jennings, Sr. Rita Grunke.

Sr Rita and Sr Freda sang the school song for us..the motto of the school is May Christ Reign.  Sr Regina is in primary education grade 3 to 8 in Bema, in Gulf Province. Originally the sisters started a centre to teach sewing and cooking. Later a primary school was established for twenty students. Bema is very isolated.
     

Pius Varpin  & Angela  Varpin from the CODE School in Rabaul

The motto of the school is With Mind and Heart. Mater Dei School began in May 1976 by Sr Mary Coulon as a mothers club for sewing and craft. Later, the centre began to educate children as well. 1987 Angela became a teacher at Mater Dei. The school was in Rabaul until 1994 when it was destroyed by the volcanic eruption. The school was then relocated to Napapar for 3 years, at which time it was necessary to move again.
Angela and her husband began to fundraise prior to 1988 to build two classrooms on their own land. There used to be less than 100 students but now there are over 200. The school caters for students who are not selected for high school and for those who do not complete high school. An ex student of the school is studying for the priesthood in Melbourne. Sr Mary left the school in 2007 but still encourages the work. There are six teachers on the staff.

Rita Kavanamur from OLSH Vunapope Secondary School

OLSH Vunapope is a school for girls in Rabaul. Sixty percent of the students are boarders. The school population is grade 8 to 12 and numbers.  The school motto is May Christ Reign. Sr Ellen Egan, Sr Peter Mary Kennedy, Sr Catherine O’Sullivan, Sr Annette Parker and Sr Mary Ruth Bayard are all past Principals of the school.

Monica from Marianville High School in Port Moresby

A secondary school for girls.  Monica is a maths teacher and Deputy Principal. At Marianville there are 680 students, 284 of whom are boarders. There are 32 teachers, not all of whom are Catholics.

We saw a DVD of the school, the DVD being compiled by a staff member of NBC radio. Marianville means Mary's Village and the motto of the school is To Show God's Love.

Sr Angela Taylor 1995 became principal, now the longest serving principal. The school is now a Secondary School with classes up to grade 12. The school boasts 7000 graduates and continues to provide quality education for women.

Questions and Answers

• We learned that there is only one Education Department and that the Education Department pays the salaries of the teachers in all the schools.
• There is a national curriculum for all students and this curriculum must be followed if the certificates for grade 10 and grade 12 are to be awarded.
• Catholic Religion can be taught but the other curriculum demands must also be met.
• We learned that there are school inspections each year and also that all teachers must be registered with the Government.
• If they wish to be promoted a level, this is through the Government process.
• We learned that many students still walk to school in isolated places.