Kerevat National High School Explained

Kerevat National High School
Coordinates:	-4.354°N 152.046°W
Established:	1947
Religious Affiliation:	None
City:	Kerevat, East New Britain Province
Country:	Papua New Guinea
Staff:	50
Enrolment:	800
Gender:	Coeducational 11th and 12th grades
Publication:	Kokomo

Kerevat National High School, also known as the Kerevat School of Excellence, is a government high school in the East New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) that takes admissions from throughout PNG for Grades 11 and 12. It was founded in 1947.

Description

The school is located on the Gazelle Peninsula in East New Britain. It was the first high school in the Territory of New Guinea, beginning life as an institute for the training of teachers. It is a boarding school and has a student population of up to 800 and a teaching staff of about 50. About 50–60% of its students come from the Islands Region of the country, with the rest from the mainland provinces. The school offers the following subjects: language and literature; applied English; general and advanced mathematics; chemistry; biology; physics; applied science; geology; economics; accounting; business studies; legal studies; history; geography; and information and communication technology (ICT).^{[1] [2]}

Controversy

In 2011 the school suffered temporary closure for a variety of reasons, including alleged cult activities and satanic worship, fights and other social problems, and deteriorating school facilities, together with allegations of misuse of funds for their rehabilitation, with particular allegations being made about the businessman, Eremas Wartoto.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

In January 2022, local landowners briefly closed down the school. They were protesting that the land for the school had been taken illegally in 1947, without compensation and that since that time the school had taken water without payment. Although the school reopened, the issue of compensation remained unresolved.^{[7] [8]}

Former students

• Bernard Narokobi, politician, author and diplomat
• Cherubim Dambui, politician and Roman Catholic bishop
• Robert Atiyafa, member of parliament, government minister and former premier of Eastern Highlands Province
• Catherine Davani, judge of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea
• Rona Nadile, anti-corruption whistleblower

Further reading

Short, Barbara. 2009. Tuum Est: The Early History of Keravat National High School and Its Students 1947-1986. ISBN 978-0646514031

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kerevat National High School . PNG Education News . 6 March 2022.
2. Web site: Kerevat National High School . Scholarships Awards . 6 March 2022.
3. Web site: Kerevat to move ahead . 6 March 2022 . postcourier.com.pg . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120809033543/http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120417/ispost01.htm . 9 August 2012 .
4. Web site: Keep Kerevat Open-PM . https://archive.today/20130416102031/http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20120111/news11.htm . dead . 16 April 2013 . 6 March 2022 . postcourier.com.pg .
5. Web site: Jackson . Keith . The Kerevat High rehab that just went wrong . PNG Attitude . 6 March 2022.
6. Web site: PNG businessman found guilty of misappropriation . RNZ . 8 March 2022.
7. Web site: Angry landowners from Napapar closed down the iconic Kerevat National High School yesterday . Papua New Guinea Post-Courier . 6 March 2022.
8. Web site: Kerevat to start school year . The National . 6 March 2022.