THE students at the PNG University of Technology (Unitech) in Lae, Morobe province, have accepted the Government’s decision and will return to class today.
“We are going back to classes tomorrow (today). We have accepted the decision by the Government over the 5% increase in next year’s fees,” Student Representative Council president Kevin Tindipu said last night.
Mr Tindipu said this was agreed to by the student body at their forum yesterday after they were informed of the Government’s position.
The Government yesterday reviewed the fee issue raised by the students and decided to uphold the position taken by the university council.
The 5% increase will affect students under the Tertiary Education Study Assistant Scheme (TESAS) categories.
Students in the A group will pay an additional K8.57, K17.15 for those in group B and K171.50 for those in Group C and the same goes for the other sponsorships.
“On the issue of maintenance fee, the council decided that the status quo will remain, is to say that individual students who had caused damages will pay for the bills,” Mr Tindipu said.
Chancellor of the university Philip Stagg said: “The council believes that these decisions have been reached in the best interest of both the students as well as the institution, and would like to appeal to parents and sponsors to understand the funding needs of the institution, and to appeal to their children and sponsored students to return to lectures and complete the academic year.”
However, senior academics at the campus said while the issue about the increase of fees might be dealt with, the issue over the governance of the university was not discussed.
They said there were outstanding matters that would crop up again next year.
Meanwhile, Lae police yesterday said they would provide security for students who want to return to classes.
Metropolitan commander chief Supt Nema Mondiai yesterday said his men were ready to make sure that classes resume today.
“We have been asked to ensure that students go back to classes and we are going to do that.”
Supt Mondiai has placed police personnel at strategic locations on the university campus to ensure that law and order prevails on the Taraka campus.
Mr Tindipu, however, said that was not necessary as the students had accepted the Government’s decision and would return to classes as agreed.