The Flores Village Project, through their long-term, slow & steady approach, is excited that all children in the villages of Wawa, Nio and Matago are now able to access primary school.
The community of Matago has seen the greatest change with the building and establishment of their new primary school and amenities block. There has been a significant impact in having primary education accessible to their children within their own village area. Prior to this, children had to walk over 5km each way to the closest school across difficult and sometimes dangerous terrain. This was much more difficult and dangerous in the wet season with muddy conditions and landslides. Many children would be sent to board at another village in order to attend school, but for many students (particularly the younger ones) this was distressing.
The school began in July 2018 and is currently teaching from kinder up to grade three. This will increase year by year as students advance. In 2020 after much hard work, the new school in Matago gained its official registration with the local government education department. Not only does this bring ongoing benefits with school funding, but it has also brought great benefit to the village more generally. The school registration has enabled the community of Matago with its 750+ residents to receive recognition by the government as an official locality. This recognition has opened up avenues to government funding to help develop other infrastructure such as improved access roads, water supply and electricity. The community is now also lobbying the government for their own community health clinic.
As of 2021, there are 34 students and 3 teachers at Wawa, 70 students and 9 teachers at Nio and 50 students and 4 teachers in Matago.