Queensland Parliamentarians visit Early Education library in Papua New Guinea

A delegation of nine Queensland Parliamentarians headed by Queensland’s Speaker, Honorable Fiona Simpson described their visit with early childhood education students in Port Moresby’s Evedahana community as inspiring and educational.

On the final day of their four-day visit, the delegation visited the Early Childhood Education library at Evedahana Primary School in Port Moresby, where they were warmly welcomed by the school children and librarians. The ECE library is a partnership between local non-government organisation, Buk Bilong Pikinini and World Vision.

“It is very important for children to explore different cultures at this age, and being active at such an age will build their knowledge capacity,” said one of the delegates.

The visitors spent time in the classroom, with one member, dedicating serious time to colouring with the children. Ms Simpson said teaching skills at a younger age is valuable and has a huge impact on children.

“It is an inspiring and an educational visit to this library, because we are keen to understand our ground work at such stages and helping to build and lift Early Childhood learning here in Papua New Guinea. It is good to see organisations like World Vision and Buk bilong Pikinini doing this. The biggest resource in any world is the human resource, and by lifting the health standards of children at this age, will have a great impact in their future life. A small improvement is a big improvement in human development,” Ms Simpson said.

It was a privilege for the parents, the school and the surrounding communities to have the delegates visit the library. It is one of four libraries being built in World Vision’s program areas in Port Moresby with funding assistance from the Australian Government/DFAT.

The Evedahana Library has been teaching ECE classes to young children before entering formal education and the results are astounding. The project is a dream come true for many parents, and the community has high hopes for a better future through their children's education and learning. A second library, in operation since June this year, under this partnership program, was opened at ATS community. Parents have already expressed satisfaction at the outcomes and results for their young children.

“It is a humbling experience to have the Queensland Parliamentarians visit the project library and to see them interacting with the children,” said World Vision’s Port Moresby Area Program Manager, Stella Rumbam.