Wau-Waria DDA commits K1.6 million for staff housing at Kasangare Junior High School

The Wau-Waria District Development Authority (DDA) has committed more than K1.6 million to provide staff housing for teachers at Kasangare Junior High School in Morobe Province.

The funding will support the purchase and installation of eight fully furnished staff houses at the remote school in the Waria Local Level Government area.

District Education Manager Sesinu Samandingki presented a cheque worth K1,609,330.80 on behalf of the Wau-Waria DDA to PNG Forest Products Ltd [PNGFPL] in Wau Town on May 27.

Speaking during the presentation, community representative Daniel Yang welcomed the investment and said it would benefit both teachers and the wider Kasangare community.

“This is great news for the people of Kasangare and not only the teachers because the education of our children is a major priority, and keeping their teachers there is the way forward,” Yang said.

The project aims to address one of the district's biggest challenges, attracting and retaining qualified teachers in remote communities.

According to PNGFPL Commercial Manager David Cusick and Design Office Manager Auka Kema, each house costs about K200,000 and comes fully furnished with a septic system, water tank, water pumps and kitchen fittings.

Kema said one elevated three-bedroom house will be delivered to Kasangare by July, while the remaining seven houses are expected to be completed by August.

“The installation of the kit homes is scheduled to begin in August and is expected to be completed by the end of the year or in the first quarter of next year,” he said.

The housing project forms part of the Wau-Waria DDA's ongoing efforts to improve education services and support the implementation of Papua New Guinea's 1-6-6 education structure.

The DDA said better accommodation will improve living conditions for teachers and help retain experienced educators in remote communities such as Kasangare.

The project also builds on an existing partnership between the Wau-Waria DDA and PNG Forest Products Ltd, which has previously delivered infrastructure projects at Wau Junior High School.