AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION’S DIRECT AID FUNDS SCHOOL

Over one hundred members of Nanala and the Guadalcanal Provincial Government recently celebrated the opening of the Nanala Community Primary School, funded by the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program.

Nanala is located around four hours walk inland from Gold Ridge, and is home to more than 3-hundred and fifty people.

The primary school is the first school for the village.

Australia provided 80-thousand Solomon dollars towards building materials for the school and has also provided 40 solar panel sets for the community.

The roofing iron and hardware used to build the school was walked in from Gold Ridge, and the school was built by hand with the help of volunteers from the community.

During the handover ceremony in late March, Australian High Commission Second Secretaries Dave Inabinet and Ben O’Reilly officially gifted the school to the community, who then passed on the school to Guadalcanal Province to manage.

Speaking during the handover David Inabinet said Australia was delighted to assist in making sure children in remote communities receive an education.

He said Australia is pleased to be working with the people and government of Solomon Islands to ensure that children, no matter where they live, have access to education.

Meanwhile, receiving the school on behalf of Nanala Community, Guadalcanal’s Chief Education Officer Suia Maesac thanked the Australian Government for the gift, saying the school will contribute to the provincial government’s efforts to ensure children in remote areas have access to school.

Mr Maesac said without the assistance provided by the Australian High Commission and the hard work and support from the Nanala community, they would not be able to receive the school.

The Nanala Community is now working with the Guadalcanal provincial government to register the school and have a full-time teacher.