East New Britain Province

For Nicanor-Jose Berobero and Kayla Schmid at the ATS barracks outside Port Moresby, early learning at home has enabled them to spell, write and pronounce words very well in preparation for their formal schooling next year.

Their teacher, Diane Kawaneva, said early childhood learning is very important as it prepares them very well to go into formal education.

“Children as young as these absorb information fast and that is why early childhood learning is important,” reiterates Kawaneva.

The young mother’s silent tears made tracks down her dusty face as she tightly clutched her baby to her chest with one hand while the other was clenching their small, hastily packed bag. She made her other two children hold hands and walk in front of her as they joined the throng of people who were fleeing from the spewing volcanoes.

It was the morning of September 19, 1994, when Vulcan and Tavurvur began erupting on opposite sides of the Rabaul Town harbour in East New Britain.

Civil Aviation Minister Davis Steven stated this during the aviation safety and security conference in Kokopo, East New Britain, recently.

Minister Steven says this is a reason for stepping up efforts to ensure aviation operators, airports and passengers are secure, up to 2018 and beyond.

He urged the aviation industry to be educated and kept informed about the trends in aviation security to minimise such risks.

“Aviation security risks remain a constant threat for all countries, including PNG,” he said.

United churches in the Raluana division of East New Britain marked the occasion at the Tungnaparau Memorial Reserve, situated in the Talakua village of the Gazelle district, on Saturday.

Tungnaparau is an historic site as it still holds the remains from unfortunate events of the past. The late 1800s saw the tragic killings of missionaries who came from Fiji, accompanying George Brown to this very part of the province.