The University of Papua New Guinea received a cheque of K1 million to help kick-start its resumption of classes next month.
Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology, Francis Marus, this morning made an official visit to present the cheque.
Marus states that the prolonged boycott in the university has brought severe repercussions to all higher education stakeholders, which included physical and emotional damages to both students and staff.
“Institutional buildings and properties valued over billions of kina both in UPNG and UNITECH were destroyed due to the students’ unrest and boycott.”
Marus says he is pleased to see that the Games Villages that was used last year by athletes for the 2015 Pacific Games was not touched or destroyed. It will accommodate students when they return to resume classes.
The Minister says he was assured by the staff down at the Games Village that the building was untouched during the unrest and that everything was in order for students to be accommodated.
Upon presenting the cheque to UPNG vice-chancellor Professor Albert Mellam, Minister Marus says the money will assist the university in its administrative role in establishing and making sure that students are back in class.
“It will also assist in the reconciliation process for the staff and students to be ready and psychologically prepared to pick up the academic year and move forward,” Marus adds.
Having had a tour of the university, the Minister is happy to see that the UPNG administration did what they could to help fix the damages to some buildings, like the Sir Michael Somare Library.
He says the K1 million should also help in the little fixtures and maintenance in the school and minimise the expense that the university has to pay for some of the damages.
Professor Mellam, on behalf of the UPNG Board and Council, thanked Minister Marus and his department for their investment into the university, to help start off on a clean slate next month.
Mellam says students will start returning to campus next Saturday to prepare for classes, which will begin on September 5, as approved by the council.
(The main UPNG Waigani campus during the students’ boycott in May.)