3 Oct 2016

Water shortage could close Solomons school before exams

From , 6:02 am on 3 October 2016

Chronic water shortages could mean students at the Aligegeo secondary school in Solomon Islands' Malaita Province go home just weeks before their final exams.

Last month parents of students attending the provincial boarding school appealed to the national government to step in and resolve its water problems.

This prompted the Malaita provincial administration to fund the drilling of two bore-holes at the Aligegeo compound earlier this month.

But the school's principal Javen Rukia says the bores will not be operational for several weeks as a pump test needs to be conducted and piping installed to connect them to the school storage tanks.

Mr Rukia said the school has been spending up to $US500 per week getting water trucked in but he says this practice cannot continue for long.

The storage tank at Aligegeo Provincial Secondary School is old and needs updating.

The storage tank at Aligegeo Provincial Secondary School is old and needs updating. Photo: Supplied/Aligegeo Secondary School