Science students of Kokopo Technical Secondary School (KTSS) were given a life time opportunity to see firsthand, how aircraft engineers work in the field.
A class of grade 12 students had an excursion at the Tokua airport tarmac this Tuesday, where a team of local aircraft engineers were fixing an engine on one of Air Niugini’s (ANG) Fokker 70 plane.
Team leader of the group and licensed aircraft maintenance engineer, Chuck Matane, who is also a former student of KTSS, described the visit by the students as very humbling and a privilege for him and his team.
The maintenance exercise was the second ever done out of Port Moresby, as the first one was also carried out this year.
“But this time around, we were privileged and humbled to have students witness what we were doing. We gave them a pep talk on their career pathway, and a tour of the aircraft, from the cockpit to the cabin,” he said.
And with all the negative things happening today, he said it was humbling to see and speak to young people, who had interest in furthering their education this field of work.
“Basically, it’s not an easy path, but it’s a very rewarding career. Nobody can stop you from achieving your goal, except you and God,” he had stressed to the students.
Mr. Matane said he didn’t go direct to university after completing secondary school, but made his way up from technical training at Mt Hagen, before joining the ANG engineering department through the cadetship program.
An elated KTSS Principal Doreen Lasumon, said the exposure for the students was a golden opportunity and an experience of a lifetime.
“I truly appreciate what the Provincial Administrator did for our students, as this arrangement was initially for STEM students of Kerevat National High School (KENATHS). But because the school was far and the team leader was ex-KOSEC, it was a great gesture by the PA, to have our science students instead, on that excursion,” she said.
She iterated that the exposure for these grade 12 science students inspired and encouraged them to work hard, while the experience was shared with all grade 12 classes the next day, on Wednesday.
Meanwhile Acting Provincial Education Advisor Mr. Pius Reva said while the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education has only been implemented at Schools of Excellence in the country, other secondary schools are also encouraged to adopt this concept.
“I think there are currently 4 schools in the country implementing STEM education, but for us in East New Britain, STEM was introduced into OLSH Secondary school in Kokopo this year. So, we have Kerevat National High and OLSH in ENB,” he said.
STEM combines the 4 subjects of science, technology, engineering and math into one approach of practical learning in schools.
The STEM education was rolled out in PNG in 2021, a year after the National Schools of Excellence Policy was introduced.