Minister for International Trade and Investment and Yangoru-Saussia MP, Hon. Richard Maru visited his former primary school- Passam Primary School yesterday as a Guest Speaker to speak to the pioneer grade 8 and 10 students after the school obtained a junior high school status. Minister Maru thanked the school for finally inviting him to one of their graduations.
“It’s a very emotional day for me to be here as I come back to my old school. I was one-year old when my parents brought me here and I grew up here in Passam. I started my education journey here up to grade 6, went on to Brandi High School, came to Passam National High School, went on to Papua New University of Technology then went into the corporate world, worked in Australia, worked in London, went and did my Master’s Degree in England became Managing Director of the National Development Bank and onto where I am now. It all started with my humble beginnings right here in Passam, this is where my roots are and I am extremely privileged and delighted to be here,” said Minister Maru.
Minister Maru reminded the grade 8 and 10 graduands that the only way that they could succeed in their education and get to the top of the country was to have a vision and a dream, and by partnering God.
“I went to school here just like you, but I had a dream and a vision to get up to the top in Papua New Guinea. While here in Passam Primary School I have already decided in my mind that I would go to Papua New Guinea University of Technology and I did; I had a vision and a dream, and I partnered God. I didn’t just come to Passam Primary School, I wanted to get to the top of the country. Only those who have a dream for the future will have a future. You must plan to be somebody and work hard to get there, and never forget to partner God. If I made it to where I am now from Passam Primary School then you can do it too,” said Minister Maru.
“We had a lot of opportunities in my days but today there are no opportunities and no jobs. Only the smartest, the brightest and the most hardworking are going to make their way through in this country. About 30, 000 students graduate at grade 12 every year and only 7, 000 are given the opportunity to attend universities and colleges while 23, 000 go back home. You have to compete to be the best,” he said.
Minister Maru also appealed to the headmaster and the teachers at Passam Junior High School to not just focus on taking in students into the school but to focus on academic excellence to give the students a future.
“Don’t just put the students in school for the sake of them to be in school because the students will join the queue of unemployment and end up going back to the villages,” he said.
Minister Maru made a commitment to Passam Junior High School that he would find half a million kina and help the school to compete its eight classrooms that were incomplete. He appealed to the Board of the school to dedicate some of the classrooms as a FODE Centre so grade 8 and 10 students who do not have the grades to go on to grade 9 and 11 can continue their studies through FODE.
“The students must not stop their education at grades 8 and 10; they must go beyond that and one way to help them continue their education is to offer FODE. This is something that the Marape-Rosso Government is encouraging right throughout the country,” said Minister Maru.
Minister Maru also added that he will do his best to help the school to build some new staff houses.
“That is the only way that I can say thank you to my old school and my community,” he said.
“Passam has a name in the country. Some of the students that Passam National High School produced are at the top of the country and they are Hon. Don Polye, Hon. John Pundari, Hon. Gabriel Kapris, Hon. John Rosso, former Chief Secretary Issac Lupari, current Works Secretary David Wereh, and the current Secretary for the Department of Planning and Monitoring Koney Samuel to name a few. Passam community has been a blessing to this country, and it is only fair that the government helps them so I will do my part by completing their classrooms and help in any way that I can to recognize Passam community for its contribution to nation building and also for my own personal experience,” Minister Maru added.
