DWU graduation
YESTERDAY marked Divine Word University’s graduation day. Parents, guardians and distinguished guests were greeted with brilliant sunshine that dappled the manicured lawns and great trees of the Madang campus. We were pleased to be present for the occasion.
Graduates from previous years expressed surprise at the many developments that have since transformed the Madang campus.
A major new computer laboratory for use by the business studies faculty and a new state-of-the-art two-storey wing for DWU’S innovative flexible learning initiative are two of the newest features.
Development of these research and teaching facilities are complemented by a steadily improving student environment, with new and upgraded accommodation dormitories and a fully fledged supermarket, bakery and ATM service about to open on campus.
The financial investment is obvious; less obvious but more important is the growing quality of the academic staff now at DWU.
Some 25 nationalities are now represented among the lecturing and professorial staff, guaranteeing virtually a global input of educational training and experience; at the same time there is a clear emphasis on Papua New Guinean academics.
It seems appropriate to highlight these positives at a time when the tertiary sector has been the focus of much criticism and has in turn had cause to be highly critical of both Education department bodies and of the Office of Higher Education.
The DWU president Fr Jan Czuba has never been one to pull his punches. In common with many other senior members of tertiary bodies, he has repeatedly urged the inclusion of the higher education sector in the government’s medium term development strategy.
In our view, the inexplicable omission of tertiary education from this strategy must be addressed.
A great deal of lip-service is paid to the contributions made by universities and other tertiary institutions to the nation. Again and again we are told that higher education is not a luxury but an essential.
Yet the very set of documents that should include provisions for tertiary development virtually ignore the existence of the sector.
Fr Jan appealed to the government to amend the MTDS and include higher education in the plan. At the same time he appealed to those about to graduate to maintain communication with each other and the university and to help begin a dialogue with the Government on the issue.
Other speakers at the graduation included the Minister for Higher Education Michael Ogio; Madang Governor Sir Arnold Amet; while the occasional address was given by Prof Duncan Ross from Macquarie University.
Sir Arnold gave a well researched and documented address with a focus on the major educational thrust needed within our country to make inroads into depressing student enrolment figures. He targeted the lack of schools and properly trained teachers and the flow-on these factors have in determining the progress of the nation.
And he questioned how PNG could exit the poverty syndrome unless these issues are addressed.
The former Chief Justice cited statistical examples from Madang province in support of his address – 289 schools are in operation in the province, totalling just 33% of the required number, with 373 more schools needed.
Based on United Nations figures now three years old, Sir Arnold noted that our literacy levels had probably fallen below the 50% quoted. Statistics from the same year rated PNG 145th out of 177 countries in terms of human development.
Turning to the Asian economies to PNG’S north, Sir Arnold noted two factors. The first was the determination of Asian governments to make the strongest possible investments in human capital and in education.
Second, and by doing so, the “Asian Tigers” have fuelled the development of their mega-economies.
The Madang governor urged his listeners to recognise the link between educational investment and national human development as a necessity for the further progress of PNG.
Sir Arnold praised what he described as “the moral leadership and passion” of the DWU leaders and academic staff and commended the impact of the university on the nation.
Ending his address, the leader urged the graduates and all present not to let PNG “be marginalised in the development process … for to do so would mean facing indictment in the world court of public opinion”.
Editorial