THE progress of two Japanese government funded staff houses for Noro high school in the Western Province is shaping up and progressing well.
The Solomon Star was part of a media team that toured the tuna town and witnessed the progress of the construction during a site visit to the school, last Thursday.
Last October, a grant contract signing was done at the Japanese Embassy in Honiara by the Principal of the school Mrs Riko Naqu and the Charge d’ Affaires of Japan to Solomon Islands, Yukio Suimon.
In an interview with the school principal, she said the progress is going on well but the delay only occurs when they have to transport materials from distant locations.
“Work on both classrooms has started around December last year. We have paid all materials needed to complete the two houses but some are yet to be transported here.
“But the current progress is well underway,” Mrs Naqu said.
She added that, both buildings should be completed by July or August this year.
The female principal told local reporters that, the project will be very obliging in solving the issue of shortage in staff housing where the school is currently facing.
“Over the years and even now, there is very little accommodation that the school has provided for its staff.
“Most have been shared by primary and secondary school teachers.
“With the completion of this project and other existing ones, I hope more of my teachers will be accommodated,” Mrs Naqu said.
The Solomon Star understands that, the assistance from the Japanese government is not new to the school as in the mid-1990s; it also funded a classroom building for the primary division and also a building for the kindergarten division.
Apart from the support received from other donors, the school also received immense assistance from the Tuna industry.
Meanwhile, Noro high school is one of the biggest schools within the tuna township with more than 30 teachers in kindergarten, primary, and secondary plus a record total of over 800 students.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
