BUMAYONG SECONDARY PRINCIPAL: MEDIA NOW BANNED By: Sylvester Gawi & Bethanie Harriman The Principal of Bumayong Secondary School in Lae, Sarah Tapo, has announced that the media, particularly EMTV, are now banned from further covering the death of the Bumayong Secondary school student and incidences relating to the student’s death. Backed by the school board, administrators and the Lutheran Church council, the principal made known their decision to keep the media from reporting further about the incident. The Bumayong Secondary School administration met with grade ten and twelve students, accompanied by their parents, at the Tent City police station. This meeting was called to brief students and parents on where the school would hold examinations, and when the school would possibly be reopened. The decision to close the school came about following the death of the student last week. Students and parents waited for up to three hours this morning before meeting with the school’s administration. The EMTV Lae Bureau was banned from attending this meeting. The school has been seeking a ‘neutral’ venue to stage the exams, with Igam Barracks seen as being one possibility. A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the school administration is waiting for the Provincial Education Board to approve the staging of the year 10 and 12 exams at Igam. This is as, according to criteria set, the school is not destroyed; therefore a move is not warranted. The school is reportedly waiting for the Provincial Education Board to sanction the move to stage the exams at Igam Barracks and make contact with those in command at the Papua New Guinea defense force (PNGDF) run barracks. It is also understood that parents have been warned not to disclose any information about the school’s current situation. With sources revealing that threats have been issued to have students expelled, should their parents speak out. Reliable sources have also revealed that tensions are still high between the two student groups involved in the recent school fight. The two groups called Basasara and Tribes Man respectively, are not at ease, with one group expressing their dissatisfaction in having to sit for the exams at Igam, as it fell within the boundaries of the opposing group’s territory. The reasons for wanting the media banned from covering the turn of events surrounding the student’s death is still unknown, however, the announcement made by the Principal is already causing public outcry. The school administration has yet to formally release a statement clarifying their reasons behind the move to ban the media. emtv.pg/home/latest-news/item/bumayong-secondary-principal-media-now-banned?category_id=20
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 05:07:31 +0000
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