IT training will be crucial the development of the local community for people like Frank, a student at St Josephs College.
Frank, a year 10 student from Buka, is the school captain of St Joseph’s College located in the rural village of Mabiri, Bougainville. As a brother to four siblings, he relies on his aunties and uncles to help look after his brothers and sister after his parents both passed away. Frank, feeling the responsibility to look after his family, is excelling at his academics however, he is aware of the scarce job opportunities that await once he graduates.
St Joseph’s College is trying to change this outlook for students like Frank. Originally, the College was established as a school to educate former child soldiers from the Bougainville Crisis of 1988 to 1998. The conflict is recognised as the largest conflict in Oceania since the end of World War II with an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Bougainvilleans killed. With education interrupted during this ten-year period, and the original St Joseph’s burnt to the ground along with many institutions, there was an overwhelming need for the education of young men and women to help build this autonomous region.
The curriculum of the State Division of Education for Bougainville stipulates that Information Technology (IT) be taught at all Junior High Schools across the region. For St Joseph’s and their 636 male and female students, IT training and computers has solely been theoretical. With fundraising efforts from many Marist Schools across Australia, AMS in partnership with St Joseph’s has been able to complete the construction of a computer lab with two separate rooms that have the capacity to hold 20 computers each. There is a small dividing room that has been built to act as the office and maintenance room for the IT teacher.
The second phase which is the purchase of computers has now begun. Given the remoteness of the village transportation and security of the devices are expensive. Again, thanks to the generous support of many Marist Schools, St Joseph’s has been able to purchase 20 computers and has also secured an IT teacher starting in 2018. It is hoped that with additional fundraising the school will be able to complete their computer labs. It is estimated that phase two will cost approximately AUD $30,000.
You can help change the lives of students just like Frank by supporting the completion of St Joseph’s College computer labs. To support this project please visit:
www.australianmaristsoldarity.org.au