NSW preschool helps PNG communities while learning about their culture

Pambula Preschool, located in New South Wales’ Bega Valley, is collecting education supplies for new kindergartens in Papua New Guinea while also incorporating learning about the culture into classroom programs, according to local news source About Regional.

About Regional reported that the preschool runs fundraisers and donation drives with the aim of collecting 1,000 new and second-hand early learning educational tools and books to pass on to kindergartens located near Port Moresby, PNG.

The preschool has a sister-school connection in PNG facilitated by Mick Brosnan from the Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast, and the WeCARe! Foundation, which provides support to vulnerable children in PNG.

The Pambula Preschool Kindergarten Association’s Belinda Morris told About Regional, “Our preschool students raise funds by baking and creating goods for sale to their parents and carers.”

“During the past two years, the Preschool has contributed over $1000 in addition to the resources collected and purchased to assist the kindergartens to improve their infrastructure.”

Ms Morris explained that learning about PNG culture has been incorporated into the preschool’s daily classroom programs.

“They look at maps, the kids are taught basic language and songs from PNG and the thing that has become most meaningful are the letters and pictures – the correspondence between the children,” she told About Regional.

The community engagement project and connection to learning is an important contributor to meeting Quality Area 6 of the National Quality Framework.

Pambula Preschool is currently inviting the wider community to donate items to the cause, such as books, stationery and supplies, timber puzzles, musical instruments, and non-battery operated toys.