250 Western Province students qualify for OTDF scholarship

More than 250 students in Western Province have qualified for scholarships under the Ok Tedi Development Foundation’s Scholarship Program to study in tertiary institutions around the country in 2017.

The students are from the Preferred Area Development area and Community Mine Continuation Agreement Trust region areas of Western Province.

The PAD covers the Ok Tedi mine-impacted villages and also the Telefomin District of Sandaun Province while the Trust covers eight regions – Nupmo, Tutuwe, Wai Tri, Middle Fly, Suki-Fly Gogo, Manawete, Dudi, and Kiwaba.

The scholarship program is funded by the CMCA Trusts and the PAD under Ok Tedi Mining Limited at a cost of about K2.69million and includes both new and continuing students.

Since the closing of the 2017 scholarship acceptance list on February 10, scholarship agreements have been executed between students and OTDF.

The scholarship program is administered by OTDF’s Community Education Services.

Acting OTDF Chief Executive Officer and Manager Program Services Sustainable Development, Eric Kuman, told 18 students during a scholarship contract signing on February 16 that they must maintain a high Grade Point Average.

Under the scholarship agreement, OTDF commits to pay tuition, board and lodging, allowances, and airfares on the condition that a student maintains a GPA of 2.5 and above. Any grade below this will result in forfeiture of the scholarship.

OTDF CES Team Leader, Igea Yassa, said students were selected on merit following several screenings.

He said under OTDF’s Strategic Direction 2016 – 2020, the company would like to send a lot of students on merit to universities and colleges and is committed to helping the educated elites of Western Province.

“OTDF will be there for you. You have to be committed to your studies, give us results, and we’llcontinue to support you. You are our hope and our future. You, the educated elites of this province, will be the ones moving this province forward, and we will all depend on you for sustainability when the mine closes. With that, on behalf of OTDF, I wish you all the best,” Mr Yassa said.

The contract signing was witnessed by CMCA Trust Administrator, Renagi Koiro, and OTDF Scholarship Officers, Bonnie Yakumani and Andrew Zankum.

Jeniffer Mathew, the parent of student Jotham Bernard, encourged all students to abide by the scholarship agreement terms and school rules and do their best in their studies.

Author: 
Press Release