One More Step

Waigani Primary School Graduation Day 2012 @ UPNG Drill Hall

This week is the last week of school in this academic year. It is time for schools to have their end of the year close up events such as graduations, speech days, and presentations. It is a time of celebration as well as a time of evaluations of the year it has been.

For our children the year would have made them proud of their achievements, growth, and development as a person, student, citizen, or role model to others. For other students the year could have been a difficult one for whatever reasons. It is time to reflect on that before going for holidays.  

Many students will leave their current schools at the end of this year. Others will move from one grade up to the next grade. Some students will move from one province to another. Whatever the move is in the next year this year must come to a good end with students remembering all their achievements this year. It’s a good idea to go back to that list of goals made in the beginning of the year. Tick the boxes where a goal was achieved.

Our teachers will also have a well-deserved rest and recreation after a year’s hard work. Many will celebrate their achievements this year. Others will have to re-evaluate their performance for the year. Some teachers will continue with the same school others will move on to new schools. Whatever it may be I wish all our teachers a happy holiday before the new academic year begins.

As someone involved in the management of a school I’d like to take the opportunity to wish everyone, students, teachers, BOMs, parents, and guardians a well-deserved Christmas Break for the 2012 school year begins. Many people have worked so hard to see much needed changes in our schools this year. It is good to end the year with many wonderful experiences.

Some of us have begun new projects in our schools with the help of the government and of our parents and guardians. Others have plans for projects in the next year and onwards. This year has been a good year for schools. We must continue to keep that spirit right through the end of the year. And perhaps continue to strengthen that spirit in the next year.

It is equally important for us to thank the government of Peter O’Neill instituting a Free Education Policy this year. It has given a much-needed break for many parents and guardians in paying for school fees. Most important of it has made it possible for school age children to be in class all year round to complete their grades.  The government must continue to promote universal basic education and that every opportunity must be given to all Papua New Guinean children to be in school. We thank Prime Minister O’Neill and his government for making education a top priority in the budget for this year and next year.

With schools closing I am also cautious on what I can wish for. The biggest wish I have is for all our children to return home to their parents and guardians without getting involved with distractive activities. All children in schools must use the holidays for rest and recreation in a positive life changing way. It is important all school children on holidays behaved in an acceptable way and keep out of trouble. Christmas Holidays must be a time of rest, peace, and harmony.  What we don’t want to read and hear about is another school child lost during the holiday period.

For those traveling for the holidays it is important to make your holiday plans to travel safe, whether it be yourself, your friends, or with your families. Book early your flights, make travel arrangement with reliable people for your road or sea travel, have enough money before you leave your home or place of school and work. Traveling safely should be the rule.

Whatever the next several weeks brings to all the school children, teachers, and others on recreational leave in Papua New Guinea I pray that it will be a memorable and safe one.  Whether it is a short journey by car or a long one by plane or ship there is always the danger element in such journeys so have faith and do the journey.  The end of the journey is the moment to reflect on the experiences not before the journey. Take the wind and sail or get the flight and go before worrying about the journey.

Brian Tracy says in his book Flight Plan (2009) that you must “Go as Far as You Can See”, a theme to reflect on at this time of the year. “Fortunately, you can always see far enough,” writes Tracy, “to take the first step. Nature is a joke in this sense, holding a blanket over the path. Once you decide upon a goal or destination, Nature will move back and show you the first step. This is a test. Nature determines whether you are really serious or not by showing the first step. When you step out of faith, even though you can see only a singe step ahead, Nature will conclude that you are serious.”

Perhaps this year was filled with many of the steps that you have taken. If you had taken the right steps you would have been successful. If you have not then perhaps you would consider taking the right steps in the upcoming year. In whatever path our lives takes us next year, just remember this year’s right steps will lead us to positive outcomes next year and the wrong steps must be corrected before the next step.

Brian Tracy says: “And when you take that step, Nature will move back again and show you one more step. You will always be able to see one more step, and when you take it, you will see far enough to go further.”

Finally, be good this Christmas and we will see you again next year.