PORT VILA, Vanuatu (Vanuatu Daily Post, April. 5, 2011) - Tucked away in the bushes of Teouma, east Efate in Vanuatu, is a newly opened primary school, one that’s never been heard of before.

Mamau Primary School by all counts is probably the fastest growing school in Vanuatu to date in terms of enrolment and infrastructure.

It opened its doors in the second half of 2010 with no more than 20 students and one teacher. Today, Mamau Primary School boasts 133 pupils with five teachers. And the list of enrolment is still growing, according to Joel Toa, the driving force behind this education development.

In 2009, Toa and a group of men were conducting Bible Studies with a few families that reside in this vast area of Teouma. In the course of the studies and from conversations with parents and children, it occurred to him that illiteracy is prevalent in this settlement.

"We found out that the kids didn’t know how to read, underline a word let alone draw a circle, Toa recalled the day he met up with the children. There are 4,000 people up there with no social services."

The idea of establishing a school to cater for the needs of these children sprung up. Within months, a teacher was handpicked, paid a monthly salary of 3,000 vatu [US$31] and cramped her pupils into a thatched-roof building with no desks.

It was the second half of 2010 and Mamau Primary School was still accepting enrolment. Funny, it may seem. But this is reality. The school closed a half-year academic life with more than 57 students.

Subsistence farmers from Teouma feed Mamau Primary School with pupils. A classic example of service delivery, Teouma farmers can now send their children to learn at their door steps. They would otherwise not have been able to send them to schools in town because the cost would be exorbitant. This is a win-win situation.

With much promotion, the school received well-respected visitors and dignitaries nationally and from abroad. It won the hearts of Seventh-Day Adventists as well as education authorities. Learning materials are donated from all quarters of life.

A certain group of Eratap Villagers worked throughout one night last year and furnished the two community-funded and built classrooms with table and chairs.

Au Bon Marche Supermarket also donated 100,000 vatu [US$1,000] which funds were used to build the teacher’s house at the school’s compound.

The Australian Government through its diplomatic mission in Port Vila contributed 839,000 vatu [US$9,000] to compliment funds from parents towards a double stream classroom.

Last week, Hon. Prime Minister Meltek Sato Kilman Livtuvanu presented a check of 1 million- vatu [US$10,000] to Mamau Primary School and promised additional funds to bring the total contribution to 2 million- vatu [US$21,000].

"The government’s support reflects its policy direction to increase accessibility and promote quality education for all," said an officer from the Office of the Prime Minister.

"This is in line with Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Vanuatu’s MDG report in 2010 shows the country is doing well in this regard and is on track to meet its target by 2015."

The Government’s contribution comes from Community Development Funds (CDF) administered by Prime Minister’s office.

"The purpose of the CDF is to assist the Prime Minister to respond to some of the petty community requests that come from other constituencies," explained the officer.

Three classrooms will be built in the first half of this year to compliment the double stream thatched-roof classroom the school now has and to replace the two temporary shelters now used as classrooms.

The school’s biggest challenge now is to attract qualified teachers and to give the current teaching staff a pay hike (from the monthly pay of 3,000 vatu [US$31]) to boost their morals and to reward their patience in a time when they are needed most.

Arrangements are underway to have Mamau Primary School registered with the education authority of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Vanuatu.

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