other two elementary schools, in Damoing and Warai, are more established with committed teachers. However, in all three primary schools the rate of turnover sharply increases. All of the teachers are from
outside the language area and often remain at the school only as long as they are required to by the government. This time varies depending on their level of experience, but it is usually one or two years.
The headmaster at Reite Primary School reported that this was because the teachers tend to feel isolated from their families and that living there is hard.
3.1.7 Language use in churches
Institutional support is a key factor in ethnolinguistic vitality Giles et al. 1977 and Fasold 1987:221. In Papua New Guinea, the church is often the primary institution functioning at the local level. In order to
evaluate language use within churches, the team interviewed local pastors and lay leaders asking questions related to vernacular use in the church and the team attended church services in order to
observe language use.
As detailed below, Tok Pisin is used more frequently within the church domain in the Yabong, Migum, Nekgini and Neko language areas. In all four language areas, Tok Pisin is used exclusively for
the liturgy and Scripture reading; these resources do not exist in the vernacular. For singing, prayer, preaching and announcements, Yabong, Migum and Nekgini are sometimes used along with Tok Pisin.
Neko is not used within the church because the church leaders in the area do not speak Neko. Outside of church services, church leaders in the Neko language area use Tok Pisin, church leaders in the Migum
area use mostly Tok Pisin with some Migum, church leaders in the Nekgini language use both Nekgini and Tok Pisin and church leaders in the Yabong language use mostly Yabong with some Tok Pisin.
As reported Throughout the entire area, Scripture is read in Tok Pisin. If liturgy is used, it is in Tok Pisin as well.
Church leaders reported that most songs are sung in Tok Pisin, although there are a few songs in the Yabong, Migum and Nekgini languages. Most spontaneous prayer is also done in Tok Pisin, although
leaders in the Yabong and Nekgini languages reported that people sometimes pray in the vernacular. Sermons are mostly in Tok Pisin with some vernacular, except in the Neko language area, where the
church leaders do not speak Neko. Announcements are also given in both Tok Pisin and the vernacular in every language group except Neko, where only Tok Pisin is used. For youth services, women’s groups
and children’s Sunday school, leaders in the Yabong and Nekgini language areas reported that both Tok Pisin and the vernacular are used. Migum leaders reported that Tok Pisin is the primary language used
for these activities, along with some Migum. The language use of church leaders outside of church services varies between the languages areas. Yabong church leaders use mostly Yabong with some Tok
Pisin; Nekgini church leaders use both Nekgini and Tok Pisin; Migum church leaders use mostly Tok Pisin with some Migum; and Neko church leaders use only Tok Pisin.
As observed The survey team attended a Lutheran church service in Baded village, in the Yabong language area.
Singing, prayer, Bible reading and the sermon were all in Tok Pisin. There was one announcement in Tok Pisin and one in Yabong.
In the Nekgini language area, the survey team attended a Catholic worship service in Serieng and observed that the liturgy, singing, prayer, Scripture reading, sermon and announcements were entirely in
Tok Pisin. The team also attended an evening worship service in Reite. During this service, three songs were sung in Nekgini and four in Tok Pisin while everything else was in Tok Pisin.
3.1.8 Contact with other language groups
