By CHARLIE DUMAVI
THE Chinese business community in Port Moresby have donated K160,000 to Butuka Academic to assist over 200 top students with their studies.
The school located in Port Moresby South electorate has a total of 56 classes from elementary level to Grade 12.
Five best performing students from each class were selected and will benefit from the funding this year.
The school’s director Florentino Tuguinay said this was not the first time for the Chinese community to support the school. Tuguinay said a total of 280 students have so far benefited from the funding.
He said the money would subsidise the tuition fees for the select students.
“We are grateful to the Chinese business community. It is a good timing because not all the students have paid their project fees for this year and those who have paid, we will do refunds.
It (funding) is good because it will encourage our students to study more so they can be part of this and in that way, it will improve our academic performance as a school,” Tuguinay said.
He added that the Chinese businesses have also donated school bags and soccer balls in the past and were always supportive of the school.
The funding was initiated last year and started this year with an agreement to continue into the future.
Tuguinay said the only requirements for the funding were students’ academic performances.
He said outgoing Grade 8 and 10 students who wished to continue their education in other schools would miss out on the funding.
“Some of them will be going to other schools after the national exams, so if they are on the top but have transferred to other school, we will look at the next students,” Taguinay said.
Butuka Academy is looking at taking in early childhood learning, starting next year.
It would be the only public school in PNG to provide early childhood learning up to Grade 12.