John and Elisa Mendzela were a young couple in search of adventure when they got teaching jobs at Keravat College in a newly-independent Papua New Guinea in the early 1980s.
When they uncovered evidence of abuse of students and sexual misconduct by other teachers, their efforts to blow the whistle pitted them against school leaders and the education department.
John and Elisa have published a book, In the Best Interests, which documents the struggle to get their evidence taken seriously, their sacking and efforts to stave off deportation.
Yet they persisted, aided by local journalists and their students who barricaded themselves on campus.
Kathryn speaks to them about what drew them to PNG and why they wanted to write the book.
