Orientation week ends with disciplinary training

By VICKY BAUNKE
FIRST-year students at the PNG University of Technology (Unitech) ended the orientation programme last weekend with a disciplinary and leadership training conducted by the PNG Defence Force at the Igam Barracks in Lae.
The programme began at 7am as students took part in a day of physical activities beginning with a morning walk from the Taraka campus to the Igam Barracks.
The training involved about 14 diiferent physical problem solving activities that enabled students to work in teams and contribute ideas that would develop skills in coming up with solutions to address different situations in life.
The different teams consisted of students, orientation mentors and PNGDF team leaders which gave students a military approach to discipline.
PNGDF Joint Forces Academy senior instructor Major Joe Terikian told The National the purpose of the training was to re-establish the mindsets of the students to be able to work in a group environment despite different localities.
“The main concept of the booth camp training is to promote a sense of nationalism among the students and prepare their minds to become leaders and away from the colleague and high school mentality,” he said.
“We are happy that we have been given the opportunity by Unitech to prepare the young students to become future leaders of the country and to think like leaders.
“The exercises that the students will be taking part in are mind exercisers, scenario exercises, quick decision exercises and other specific exercises for mental fitness.”
Chairman of the Unitech orientation and working committee Navua Vali Kapi, said the training was a compliment alongside the aptitude test that students passed at the beginning of the year.
The tests aims to improve the quality of student intakes into Unitech.