RENBEL’s top provincial secondary school New Place secondary school was forced into an early mid-year break after fire razed to ground zero one of the boy’s dormitories last week.
The next day, the school administration resolved to send the more than 80 students home.
Tingoa Provincial Police are currently conducting an internal investigation inside the school to ascertain the cause of the fire.
Renbel Premier Collin Singamoana confirmed this last night that the school will close for an indefinite period as there is no alternative accommodation for the male students.
He revealed that the fire leveled the dormitory which accommodates students which resulted in the loss of all the boys’ properties.
“The boy’s dormitory is built horizontal and was gutted by fire Friday last week.
“Luckily, no lives were lost in the fire incident.
“The causes is not known at this stage as the police have opened an inquiry file and continue their investigation,” he said.
Mr Singamoana said he then gave the option to his education minister to call off the semester seeing that most of the boys lost all their personal items in the fire.
“Our concern is the loss of properties by the high school students.
“The total cost of loss of properties has not been finalized as yet.
“But the poor students have nothing to rehabilitate their lost properties and school stationeries,” the premier said.
He added that the only option is to send them home for an early break.
“After discussions with our provincial education minister, we decided that this incident will not be easily overcome by the students.
“As a result they were sent home to refresh their minds, and came back for the second semester,” the Renbel Premier said.
He explained that the students will not sit for their mid-year examinations instead will defer for second semester.
He also added that arrangement is underway for their provincial education minister to liaise with the Ministry of Education in Honiara to understand the situation the school has been caught up with.
The school is located within the Tingoa area.
By TEDDY KAFO
