The founder of Port Moresby Grammar School, Donald Daniels, arrived in Papua New Guinea in 1967 as a teacher in Government Schools. His first posting was in the jungles of New Ireland and over the next 20 years, was principal in various parts of the country ending up as Headmaster of Goroka Demonstration High School.
After a time in Madang, as Chairman of Madang Teachers’ College, and Director of the Madang University Centre, Don shifted to Port Moresby and saw, to his dismay, the poor state of education in the National Capital whereby the drop out rates from primary to secondary, and from grade 10 to grade 11 were alarmingly low. He established Port Moresby Secondary Coaching College to provide after hours coaching for students.
In 1993 he took a quantum leap and established Port Moresby Secondary College in the buildings of the old Burns Philp Headquarters in Champion parade. There was a long, uphill battle with the Department, the inspectorate and the many detractors. But the school very quickly struck a chord in the minds of the many parents who were frustrated by their children being pushed out from the system schools because of lack of space.
POM Secondary College quickly grew, both in numbers and in stature. Within a few years it had become the school of choice, not the school of second chance. To better reflect its philosophy, the name was changed to Port Moresby Grammar School and its aim was to provide an excellent education in a traditional and disciplined environment. It has not deviated from this aim.
In 1998 Don was approached by a group of investors who saw the potential for POM Grammar and saw its mark on the education scene of Port Moresby. They gave him carte blanche to design a new, purpose built school on a very large block of land in East Boroko.
What developed was a magnificent and imaginative institution. From the soaring haustambaran at the entrance to the lakotoi like sails covering the main , POM Grammar was justifiably the talk of the town.
The Board of Directors, in another leap of confidence in Papua New Guinea, in 2011, purchased the land and buildings from the landlord. POM Grammar at last belonged to the stakeholders.
The school has not looked back since its inception in 1993. It has become the school of choice for the parents of 1500 children. It provides a relevant, international education, in a caring but disciplined environment. Good manners, pride, hard work and responsibility are strongly emphasised and the staff, under the Principal Mele Olley, are outstanding examples of dedicated professionals.
