2016 UPNG resumption of classes

UPNG journalism students observe court sitting

It’s an exercise the UPNG Journalism and Public Relations strand has taken to help its third year News Coverage students get their minds back in school through practical engagement. This was after classes resumed following the boycott and student unrest.

Tutor and trip coordinator, Joycelyn Mark, said the students’ visit on Friday to the Bomana National Court was part of the theory component of the course and more visits will be done during the semester.

UPNG staff raise concerns over annual leave

Due to the current arrangement of the revised calendar, staff will only be given four weeks’ annual leave instead of six weeks.

The second semester of 2016 will commence on November 7 and break for the festive period on December 19.

This is when the staff will take their leave and return to classes on January 16, 2017, to continue semester two after the four-week leave.

NASA president Emmanuel Gorea said this is in breach of their contracts.

UPNG schools still accepting students after re-registration deadline

An officer of the School of Law told Loop PNG that he continued to allow law students to re-register as he sympathises with them.

"These are our students so we try our best to register them," he said.

He further revealed that he is aware that some students have not been able to return due to financial reasons.

Another staff at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences office told Loop PNG that they will begin to turn students away by the start of the third week, as week 11 of semester one then recommences.

Reconciliation service underway at UPNG main campus

Secretary for the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Professor David Kavanamur, told students that the future of this nation lies on their shoulders and it was important to move forward with trust.

He acknowledged the emptiness created at the campus by the unrest but said today was the start of a new journey. While creating trust between parties is difficult, taking the first steps towards this is important.

Reconciliation will not be between students and administration, says Dr Mann

Dr Mann told Loop PNG that the administration, nor its staff, went around harassing and intimidating the students.

“The biggest enemy in the campus was not the staff or the security forces.

“The peace reconciliation must be between the students themselves; the different groups, the different factions, the pro-boycott and anti-boycott group and the different provinces.

“Students themselves had gone in and harassed lecturers and those attending class.”

Eight UPNG students confirm receipt of exclusion letter

The document, dated August 9, advised the students of their permanent exclusion from UPNG due to their involvement in the May to July student unrest.

In a letter to the administration this morning, SRC male vice-president Arthur Amos said the decision was harsh and unfair.

“Student leaders represent the voice of the students, who have given them the mandate,” Amos stated.

“The motives of the student leaders and students were pure and there were no political affiliations or attachments, as alleged by many.”

UPNG offices will be open to serve students, assures Dr Mann

This was the assurance given today to Loop PNG by UPNG acting chancellor, Professor Nicholas Mann.

His statement was based on reports that students were not permitted to enter the main Waigani campus to hand in their resumption forms last week.

The students revealed that Uniforce guards turned them away at the main gate, advising them to return on August 29 (next Monday).

Independent decision to uplift termination, says UPNG professor

UPNG acting pro vice-chancellor, Professor Mange Matui, said this on the Nau talkback program on TVWan yesterday.

"The decision was made by the schools (schools of science, medicine, social science, law and business) to the Senate, and Senate considered everything put on the table and evaluated the matter to the council.

UPNG gets K1 million to kick-start resumption of classes

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.”