The 2017 academic year for the University of Papua New Guinea will commence early.
The UPNG Council has decided upon consultation and recommendations given by the Senate for an academic program that will run four semesters in the 2017 academic year.
UPNG acting chancellor Dr Nicholas Mann confirmed that the 2017 academic year will start early in September 2016.
The 2017 academic year will consist of four semesters and will begin in September to November 2017.
Dr Mann explained that the new structure of the 2017 academic calendar will cater for four semesters.
This will enable the 2016 first year students to enter second year in April of the 2017 academic year, when the third semester commences, and the 2016 Grade 12s will commence first year in April, 2017.
The semester two school fees that were paid this year and not used will be transferred for the 2017 academic year.
“The four semesters will be made up of the two semesters that didn’t run this year and the two semesters in 2017.
“There will be a graduation as planned and there’ll be no overload for first years.
“The council has tasked the management to look at the academic calendar and come up with a restructure calendar for a time period of September 2016 to November 2017,” Dr Mann said.
Meantime, the University of Goroka will commence classes early this month while PNG University of Technology will resume classes at the end of August.
Newly-appointed Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Francis Marus, urged all provincial administrations to help their students return to their respective universities.