graduation

Each graduating student has his or her own story of inspiration.

Yesterday, a humble Papua New Guinean achieved his dream, 4 decades after leaving high school.

The sight of this middle-aged man, neatly dressed in the graduation colours and seated away from the rest of the graduands, raised curiosity.

Donald Yehilomo Lunen was among the handful of Professional Studies students graduating from the University of Papua New Guinea.

There is reflection on past trials and successes as well as hope for the future, and that is what 25-year-old Jennifer Kua yearns for.

Kua’s story is one that most or all average Papua New Guinean families can relate to.

First in a family of 5, Kua’s parents fled their home village in Kerowagi, Simbu Province, with the hope of starting a new life in Port Moresby; a life free from tribal fights and better education opportunities for their children.

But the nation’s capital wasn’t the promised land they had imagined.

Today officially marked the successful end of 4 years of hard work, sacrifices and commitment and signaled the beginning of the season of reaping and joy.

Celebratory cheers could be heard as graduands, each representing their families and tribes, received the prized blue ‘mambu’ (bamboo).

Addressing the graduating class of 2018, Vice Chancellor Vincent Malaibe highlighted the challenges the institution faces but maintained that today's ceremony was a bitter sweet achievement.

The University forum square was a sea of blue as graduands from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS), School of Business and Public Policy (SBPP) and School of Law (SOL) marched in procession to the beat of the Manus garamut.

The morning session will see a total of 510 students graduate: 213 from SHSS, 7O from SOL and 218 from SBPP.

The graduands entered the ceremonial arena before a packed crowd of family and friends.

These students are the 6th batch to graduate from Tokarara Secondary School, which only started taking in students for grades 11 and 12 in 2011.

The school is now 33 years old and boasts of its academic achievements.

In 2016, 70 percent of pass out students from Tokarara secondary made it to tertiary institutions throughout the country.

Maths head of department and graduation coordinator, Tony Tom, says the school keeps improving every year.

"Each year, there is an increase in the number of students that go through to tertiary institutions,” he says.

The skilled workers graduated with certificates and diploma in 17 different skilled fields and join over 10,600 APTC graduates across the Pacific.

These include electrical, plumbing, construction, automotive, education support, tourism, counselling, air-conditioning and refrigerating, disability, wall and floor tiling, garment manufacturing, painting and decorating, hospitality, cookery and engineering.

APTC is committed to delivering internationally recognised Australian qualifications to Pacific islanders from 14 Pacific Island countries.

UOG vice-chancellor Professor Musawe Sinebare confirmed that the cost for staging the graduation has always been budgeted for and there’s no new additional cost that will be offloaded to the students.

Sinebare said, “The students do not have to pay anything to graduate.

“They’ve already earned their grades and the graduation ceremony is an occasion to present them their certificates of achievement and a celebration of their efforts.

Professor Nembou said graduation is just the beginning of a new journey to explore new opportunities at the market place.

“You have worked very hard and persevered, and can rightly feel proud of your achievements.

“Graduations mark the start of a new and wonderful journey in life ahead growing from the seeds you have sowed during your period at the University.

“You are now equipped with the tools that will help you forge a future for yourself – in a future of immense possibilities—and a future that you will make with your own efforts.”

During the 35th DWU Graduation Ceremony, Deputy Secretary (Operations) for Department of Foreign Affairs, Amb Alexis Maino said, "it is an honour and privilege to present the 2017 Foreign Affairs Awards to the two recipients including Justine Ale and Geoffery Ronny from the PNG Studies and International Relations Department (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences).

"Both awardees received the Silver Medal for academic excellence."

Maino highlighted that one of the key objectives of the Department of Foreign Affairs is capacity building.

This message was echoed in the hall of the Roselyn Anakapu Hall as the Legal Training Institute saw the graduation of its trainees.

“Integrity is the measure of your profession. Your code of ethics demands it, the Courts demand it. You clients demand it. The Society expects it,” Morobe Governor Kelly Naru told them today.

Naru said he was privileged to have passed through the institution 30 years ago and reminded the students that their integrity defines their total professional conduct.