First-ever tertiary graduations in Western Province celebrated at Balimo College

In 2024, Balimo College made history as the first tertiary education institute in Western Province to be formally recognised by the Papua New Guinea Department of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology (DHERST). Balimo College has now marked another historic achievement, with 33 students from its inaugural cohort completing the requirements of their three-year qualification and graduating with a Diploma in Primary Teaching. This momentous occasion represents the first-ever tertiary graduation in Western Province, Papua New Guinea’s largest and arguably most remote province.

Made possible through long-term and enduring partnerships, Balimo College is a PNG Sustainable Development Program (SDP) education initiative delivered in partnership with KTF. The college has formal affiliations with Western Sydney University and Divine Word University and is supported by the PNG government through the Provincial Division of Education and DHERST. Aligned to the Western Province Integrated Development Plan (2023-2027), Balimo College is committed to creating a community of qualified professionals, initially prioritising teachers and health workers, to advance Western Province.

At Balimo College’s recent inaugural graduation ceremony, Mr Charlie Buia, representing the Western Provincial Division of Education, shared that he was overjoyed to witness the first-ever tertiary graduations for the province, sharing that “The difference of these partners [SDP & KTF], is that they listen. They listen to us and see the new way forward for Western Province. They have come in to help narrow the gap, and so our people can have access to education.”

Among these graduates was Barnd Bariga, a dedicated student and President of Balimo College’s Student Representative Council. Barnd experienced many set-backs and disappointments on the pathway to becoming a teacher. Over seven years, his education journey has been long and labyrinthine, spanning four provinces and taking Barnd across his great country and back. His dream was finally fulfilled at the Balimo College graduation ceremony, when he received a Diploma of Primary Teaching. A qualified teacher at last.

“By going to college, I am seeing my value and potential to become someone in my village.”

As a child, Barnd always dreamt of becoming a doctor or a nurse, just like his older brother who he watched treat patients in his home village nestled on the shores of Lake Murray.

Glistening from above, Lake Murray is fed by Western’s network of river systems and features vast swathes of isolated areas among wetlands along its shores. Sparsely populated yet teeming with wildlife, it is aptly said that the region's birds and animals outnumber people. Even by Western Province standards, Lake Murray is considered remote. The serpentine length of the lake spans 650 kilometres, an area nearly three times the size of the country’s capital, Port Moresby. In the middle of the lake lies Barnd’s home of Boboa Station. Accessible mainly by canoe or dinghy, Boboa’s central location makes it a hub for the lake and home to almost 2,000 people. It is one of a network of 19 settlements, tiny villages dotted along the intertwined waterways of Lake Murray. 

Barnd’s introduction to education was at Boboa Primary School, a 10-minute paddle across the lake in his canoe.  The only primary school operating at the time, out of the 19 villages on Lake Murray, Boboa Primary struggled with a lack of teachers and resources to deliver quality education to students from grades six to eight. However, Barnd was a keen learner and it was here that he discovered a passion for education. His commitment enabled him to complete his primary schooling at Boboa Primary, progressing to the nearest secondary school, Aiambak High School, to undertake grade nine and beyond. 

This unavoidable move transformed Barnd’s commute into an odyssey across Lake Murray each semester. Beginning with a 45-minute dinghy ride, followed by a day of walking to reach the school where he boarded. Facing similar problems to his primary school, Aiambak High School had only two teachers for more than 200 students. Overcrowded classes were the norm, teacher attention was sparse, and Barnd, along with many students, struggled to pay attention and eventually lost interest in school. Barnd reflected that, “This bothered me because I felt like I was wasting my time at school”. He withdrew from Aiambak High School that same year.

When Barnd looked around at his classmates and the children in the village, he saw bright and intelligent kids, full of promise, who were being demotivated at school. “Everyone, students and friends, we wanted to continue to secondary school and go on to university but in our remote area it is very expensive to leave the province, so there was no accessibility to get to better schools or institutions.” Seeing this and experiencing his own struggles with school, a new dream began to take shape. 

Reigniting his passion, the following year, Barnd moved to Kiunga and enrolled at a different school that was in the process of gaining secondary status to complete his high school education. Persistence paid off and Barnd graduated from St Gabriel's Technical School in 2012. He immediately started applying to universities, an extremely competitive process with only nine tertiary institutions in PNG and limited places. Despite Barnd’s dedication to his studies, his matriculating GPA was not enough to secure a coveted spot in tertiary education.

Filled with steely determination, Barnd knew he couldn't stay in Lake Murray, “There’s nothing there, such a remote place, the world is big so I couldn't just stay in the village, my dream was not fulfilled, I had to strive for that and take that risk to go away.” Barnd made the difficult decision to leave his family, friends and everything he knew to move to Port Moresby in the hope of greater access to education and employment pathways.

In the following years, Barnd’s pursuit of opportunity took him to Port Moresby, Goroka and Lae, where he again witnessed the urgent need for essential workers in education and healthcare. While in Lae, Barnd heard about KTF’s fee-free Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) College in Kokoda, and a small cohort of Western Province students who had been supported by SDP to attend. Committed to study, Barnd relocated yet again to KTF’s home of Kokoda in 2018, diligently working to upgrade his marks to gain entry into tertiary studies. Barnd noted that at that time, he said to himself, "Whatever program comes first, whether nursing or teaching, I'll go for it."

Second chance education: Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE)

Second-chance education pathways exist in Papua New Guinea as a critical supplement to the traditional, formal schooling system. As Barnd’s experience shows, the traditional schooling system can be difficult to access in remote locations with early dropout rates, particularly between primary and high school. 

KTF offers a non-traditional, second chance education pathway through FODE, providing opportunities for those wanting to continue their formal education or, like Barnd, upgrade their Grade 12 results to pursue further study. KTF currently operates 17 FODE centres across five provinces, offering Grade 7 to 12 studies via a combination of face-to-face and e-learning to 3,000+ students. In Western Province, KTF is the implementing partner for SDP-funded education initiatives as part of their ‘Gutpela Community’ Strategy. SDP supports students committed to ongoing tertiary studies or employment opportunities, and is committed to building a vital pipeline of skills for rural and remote communities across Western.

Barnd was one of the cohort of Western province students supported by SDP to study FODE at Kokoda College. Ultimately, SDP’s mission behind this support was to establish FODE, with KTF, in Balimo. When the Balimo FODE Centre opened, Barnd headed home to finalise his FODE studies, upgrading his results to gain entry into tertiary studies.

While studying FODE, Barnd shared, “I came to know the dreams and visions of SDP & KTF  to improve basic services, I realised that there is a big need in PNG. I look at Lake Murray and there were no students able to pursue further education. There was a problem at the basic level and this inspired me to do teaching.” 

When Balimo College - the first-ever Teachers College in Western Province - opened, Barnd was one of the first to apply. 

“I was really excited when I learned I was accepted into Balimo College because I know even two-three years ago this program did not exist.” In 2022, Barnd joined the first cohort of students at Balimo College, and as of 2025, this number has increased to 174 students studying at Western Province’s only Teachers College.

For Barnd, the recent graduations represent a full-circle moment in his education journey. The establishment of Balimo College stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication and shared vision of students and partners alike, forging a vital link in Western Province’s education system.

Barnd graduated with a Diploma of Primary Teaching as one of Balimo College's top students, attaining an average distinction mark and was presented with an academic excellence award. As President of the Student Representative Council, Barnd also spoke at the graduation, “Today marks both an ending and a beginning. We leave Balimo College not just as graduates but as torch bearers of knowledge and wisdom. We have been given the privilege and the responsibility to shape the future of Papua New Guinea, one classroom at a time.
But let us not be mistaken—our journey will not be easy. The road ahead is filled with challenges. We will walk into schools where resources are limited, students come from different backgrounds, and expectations are high. We will teach in remote and rural communities where access to quality education is still a struggle. However, let us remember why we chose this path. We are not just teachers—we are leaders, mentors, and role models. We have the power to transform lives, to inspire young minds, and to be the change that our education system desperately needs.”

In 2025, Barnd, along with 93% of his cohort, elected to extend their studies at Balimo College for another year to gain their Bachelor's qualification in Primary Teaching.

Barnd reflects that it has been a long and difficult journey. Balimo is still a distance away from his family who need him, however, he is excited to finally achieve his dream of becoming a primary school teacher, “It’s been quite a long journey for me with SDP starting with FODE to now the Teachers College. Being consistent and persistent with the programs that SDP is running, it’s been seven years, I’m so proud about that.” 

Upon graduation, Barnd hopes not just to return to his home village of Boboa, but to become a teacher at the same primary school that he attended, giving back to his community. “I love this job now and I will do my best to serve my community in education. Not just in the classroom, but I have wishes and dreams to improve Lake Murray, my District and my Province.” 

Barnd’s experience is an all-too-frequent occurrence in Western Province’s schools, even today. Many primary schools are closed, classrooms are crowded and there is limited opportunity to progress to secondary education and beyond. Through SDP’s education initiatives, implemented in partnership with KTF, access to quality primary schooling with pathways into secondary and tertiary education is creating a pipeline of ‘home-grown’ teachers, like Barnd, who will change the landscape of education in remote Western Province today and for generations to come.

In 2025, Balimo College expands with the opening of the Balimo School of Nursing.