By JOE GURINA
THE Kokoda Track Authority has set its contingency plans aligned with its social responsibility to support schools and communities along the Kokoda Track corridor affected by the El Nino stricken wave that is affecting people’s livelihood and wellbeing.
The current El Nino affecting the country with the continued dry spell experienced over the last five months, has driven the authority to support a school in dire need of assistance along the track corridor in the Koiari local level government constituent.
KTA Chief Executive Officer Julius Wargirai said the authority responded to an urgent plea from the Bisiatabu Seventh Day Adventist under the Magere ward that ran out of food rations and proper drinking water to sustain students’ education for the remaining part of the academic year.
KTA assisted the boarding school with K9, 600 worth of food rations and 10 liters of water supply carted from Port Moresby valued at a tune of K3000.
‘’We are responding to schools and communities that are affected by the El Nino through requests submitted to our office,’’ he said.
Mr Wargirai said the authority responded to the school’s request after deliberating on the significance of children’s learning as of paramount importance.
‘’ We responded to the school’s plight, to ensure, we keep the students at the school to continue their education for the remaining part of the academic year.’’
He said,’’ we exhausted our revenue on school fee assistance program for the 2026 academic year and sme programs.’’
However, he added that the authority found money elsewhere to support its budget to support the urgent plea from the school, based on humanitarian ground.
He said most of the students attending the boarding primary school were from Koiari and Kokoda.
Head teacher Mr William Iga thanked the generosity of the KTA board and its management to respond to the school’s plea with the support given last week.
Mr Iga said that the support was timely to provide confidence for the school’s academic staffs and students to continue its academic year. He said the authority was for the people and such support was rationalized with natural disasters which the authority had supported Cyclone Maila victims in Biage and Kaina in Kokoda early this year.