The Institute of Business Studies (IBS) and Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) PNG are pleased to announce two inaugural Sir Mick Nades Scholarship winners for Degree programmes for 2021.
They are 21-year-old Maureen Kuna from Southern Highlands and 26-year-old Joanne Konaka from the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
Miss Kuna enrolled on 23rd March to take up Bachelor of Accounting and Finance (BAF) programme and Miss Konaka enrolled on 17th March to study Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT), at the IBSU Campus, 11-mile.
Both women said they had settled well in their studies and thanked Sir Nades and MPIP PNG for empowering young women through education.
“We could not further our education because of financial difficulties and we truly appreciate these scholarships which will now allow us to fulfill our dreams,” they said.
Kuna said: “Education is everything to me, my freedom, my voice, and my salvation to being an independent woman. In future, I see myself as an Accountant working in a corporate world with a good firm. My goal is to own a business that will make a difference in my society”.
In 2020 she applied to IBS to take up Bachelor of Economics & Development Studies. Ms Kuna was selected but unfortunately due to financial problems she could not take up the course.
“Instead, I decided to take up Certificate 4 in Accounting at IBS College of TVET (6-mile campus) and completed it. This made me eligible to continue with the Bachelor of Accounting and Finance programm.
Ms Konaka on the other hand said her wish is to complete her Information Technology studies and work on her island home AROB.
“I am passionate about developing Bougainville in regards to IT. AROB is at the crossroads of becoming independent and will need qualified individuals to contribute to developing the province.