No school closures in Lae following incident

Students at a primary school in Lae, Morobe Province still in class despite rumors that schools would be closed (Image: Supplied)

Morobe Provincial Education Program Advisor Keith Tangui has assured parents and students that schools in Lae will remain open despite an incident that occurred at Kapiak Street in Boundary Road suburb.

In an interview with NBC News, Tangui confirmed that all schools are to continue classes as normal, emphasizing that only the Lae Metropolitan Police Command has the authority to order school closures.

“We are in Lae city, and police are monitoring the situation,” Tangui said. “Teachers, by law, must not leave students unattended as they are performing state duty, and the state is there to protect them.”

He dismissed rumors circulating about widespread school closures, stressing that decisions must be guided by police advice.

However, Tangui acknowledged that parents who feel unsafe have the right to take their children home.

Markham Road Primary School was the only school in the affected area permitted to operate for a half day yesterday as a precautionary measure.