Australia invests in the Lae School of Nursing
The tender for the Lae School of Nursing upgrade and refurbishment work will open today, with construction work expected to begin on site in early 2016.
Australia has committed AUD $12 million (approximately PGK 24 million) for the redevelopment of Lae School of Nursing as part of the redevelopment of the ANGAU Hospital in Lae.
The upgrades will enable the Lae School of Nursing to enroll more nursing students and provide much needed graduates to ANGAU hospital. The upgrades will include the construction of a new academic building incorporating a library, conference and practical demonstration spaces, staff administration room and kitchen and dining facilities, as well as the refurbishment of existing classrooms.
The master planning and design work for the Lae School of Nursing was recently completed in close consultation with all the partners and stakeholders including Unitech and the Morobe Provincial Government by Architectus.
“The new building and facilities constructed will support curriculum capabilities for both nursing and midwifery,” Acting Australian High Commissioner, James Hall said.
Lae School of Nursing Principal Manase Moya said that he is seeing an increase in the number of students from all over Morobe Province applying to the school. “The redevelopment will allow us take on more students who can return and serve their own communities in Morobe,” Mr. Moya said.
In 2016 Australia will also provide up to 13 Australia Awards Pacific Scholarships for the Diploma of Nursing at the Lae School of Nursing.
Applications for these scholarships are available from http://www.australiaawardspng.org/bachelordiplomas-of-nursing/ .
The project is funded by the Australian Government under the Joint Understanding between Australia and Papua New Guinea on further bilateral cooperation on health, education and law and order.