In a significant logistical success for remote education, Rossel Island’s St. Mary’s Jinjo Primary School on Jinjo village received the 2025 Grade 8 national examination papers just after 1 pm on Tuesday — a relief after days of delay due to challenging terrain and transport conditions.
Delivery Finally Reaches the Island
According to national broadcaster National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), the exam papers reached the school after a prolonged wait, reassuring teachers and students that they can proceed with the exams on schedule.
Meanwhile, the independent news site ONE PNG reported that the Papua New Guinea Department of Education confirms the 2025 Grade 8 examinations were slated to begin on October 20 despite minor transport disruptions.
The Broader Struggle of Exam Delivery in PNG
While Rossel Island’s success is welcome, it underscores the wider logistics challenge facing remote schools in Papua New Guinea. For example, the Morobe Province had more than 140 rural schools still awaiting their Grade 8 papers days before the exams begin.
Another report by the Post Courier highlighted that some remote schools face treks of multiple days over mountains and rivers to receive exam materials.
What this Means for Rossel Island and Milne Bay Province
For Rossel Island — an outlying island in Milne Bay Province — this delivery marks a critical step in ensuring equity among students. Delays in exam papers can lead to postponed assessments or unfair disadvantages. With the papers now in hand, St. Mary’s Jinjo Primary can start the Grade 8 national exams with minimal disruption.
Teachers on the ground expressed relief, noting the unique challenges of island logistics — from weather-dependent sea transport to limited air-cargo access. Local community leaders say that community-based efforts to coordinate the delivery played a key role.
National Grade 8 Exam Framework and Timeline
The Department of Education announced that the Grade 8 national exams are scheduled to run from the week of October 20 to October 24, 2025. Schools experiencing delays were advised to make short-term adjustments but not to delay beyond the official schedule without departmental approval.
Why Timely Delivery Matters
On-time delivery of exam papers is vital for:
- Maintaining fairness — All students across provinces can sit the exams under similar conditions.
- Protecting integrity — Late papers risk exposure or compromise of examination security.
- Minimizing stress — Schools that receive materials late face added pressure to organize exams quickly.
Given the terrain and transport limitations in PNG, ensuring remote schools receive materials requires meticulous planning and community cooperation.
Looking Ahead
As Rossel Island proceeds with the 2025 Grade 8 exams, education authorities and transport partners will be evaluating the delivery process to strengthen logistics for future years. Larger-scale efforts are needed in provinces like Morobe, where many schools still face delays.
The success at Rossel Island can serve as a model for how remote island and rural schools might coordinate with provincial education offices, transport providers, and local communities to secure timely exam delivery.