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GOAL SCORERS

They’re high achievers on the sporting field and now students at Our Lady of Sacred Heart Buluma Primary School in West New Britain are set to score educational goals backed by  books donated by Books 4 PNG Kids.

“Your donation will make a big difference in the lives of (this) young generation,” teacher John Bai says.

The school, in Buluma village, Hoskins LLG, Nakanai District, has 342 pupils and nine staff from grade one to eight but no library – yet.

“Our library is currently under construction,” John says.

Books 4 PNG Kids donated and shipped the books to Kimbe, the capital of West New Britain Province, about 550km northeast of Port Moresby.

Then the books were driven 18km to the school, a short trip in a province where many remote schools are isolated due to a lack of infrastructure such as roads and bridges.

Thanks also to Maureen Tom in Kimbe for her ongoing support for Books 4 PNG Kids, and to the great team from Carinity Education Southside who volunteer at Books 4 PNG Kids’ Brisbane factory each Friday as part of their community service.

The year 10 and 11 students accompanied by teacher Bill Reinhold and youth worker Sharon Armbrust put in a sterling effort last week that will pay dividends in improving the lives of fellow students in PNG.

West New Britain has a fast-growing young population but many schools lack books and relatively few students continue on to secondary school.

Most people are subsistence farmers. Crops include oil palms, vegetables, cocoa and coffee.

According to 2021 estimates, less than one-fifth of more than 25,000 students in grades 1-12 in the Talasea District (in WNB) made it to high school (years 9-12).

“Over 20,000 are in elementary and primary schools while only 4,800 make it into year 9 to 12,” the Talasea 5-Year Development Plan 2022-27 said. “The retention rate is very low as most students who started primary school could not continue to Grades 10 and 12.”

The report also highlighted the need for more university education to give people “dreams and aspirations in life”.

We hope the books from Books 4 PNG Kids help inspire more students’ dreams in life.

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Volunteers are always welcome to join us on Fridays and some Wednesdays (except public holidays) at Books 4 PNG Kids factory at 39 Flanders St, Salisbury, on Brisbane's southside.

Come along any time from 8.30am-4pm on Fridays.

Just wear closed-in shoes. Lunch is provided.

For Wednesday times, ph: Heather on 0418 623 675.

Currently accepting book donations suitable for preschool and primary school children, both fiction and nonfiction up to a reading age of 12, including picture books, beginner readers, textbooks, up-to-date atlases, dictionaries, geographical magazines, Bibles, unused maths and English workbooks, and stationery.

No teachers' resources, thank you.

Please see our drop-off locations below. We are no longer picking up books. 

Email all requests for PNG schools to books4pngkids@gmail.com