13 students held over Passam fire

THIRTEEN students from Passam National High School are being held in connection with the school’s worst arson case, The National reports.

The students were alleged to have started a fire that razed an administration building and ration store early Sunday.

Three school buildings were torched but staff and students managed to put out the fire to one of the female students’ dormitories.

School properties like computers were looted when the students went on a rampage last Saturday night.

The school remained closed yesterday and it was uncertain when classes would resume.

Wewak police said 17 students had been picked up but four were released yesterday after they were cleared of any involvement in the alleged arson.

The remaining 13 students were kept in custody overnight and were expected to be charged today, police said.

The school principal could not be reached for comments yesterday.

But provincial education adviser Joseph Auli said national high schools were a responsibility of the Department of Education and he was awaiting further instructions from Port Moresby.

He said the division of education, with the support of the provincial administration, should help because the tragedy would affect the future of mostly Sepik students.

The National was referred to Oka Lavaki and Joyce Tepu at the National Education office in Port Moresby but both were at a meeting yesterday and could not be reached for comment.

Many local students started leaving the school yesterday traumatised by what had happened.

The burning down of the two buildings brings to seven the number of buildings destroyed by arsonists since 2000.