Booze ban at National Polytechnic

THE National Polytechnic Institute of Papua New Guinea (NTIPNG) is enforcing “zero tolerance” on alcohol and drugs starting this year.
This means that any student found drunk, consuming liquor or drugs on campus or being in possession or bringing any amount of liquor or drugs into the campus will be expelled forthwith.
The board of governors of the institute took the hard stand to weed out continuous disruption to college life as a result of drunken behaviour by students, especially during the weekends.
The policy which came into effect immediately was reached over the Christmas period following destruction to school property by certain students at the end of the 2009 school year.
Some boarding students returning to NTIPNG this year will have to find their own accommodation outside the institute while continuing their studies.
Those students who will be affected are the Technical Trade Certificate (TTC) students returning for their second year.
After final exams last year, drunken students destroyed louvre blades, fly-wire and other properties in six dormitories. The damage was at more than K30,000.
The students were expelled as boarders from the school.
Deputy director (academic) Graham Bidang said drunken students’ attitudes were getting worse.
Registration for the institute is set to begin this week with more than 1,000 students expected on campus.
Those returning who had been denied their boarding privileges would still be allowed to enroll.
According to Mr Bidang, the institute already had a policy on alcohol and other illicit drugs which students failed to adhere to.
“The institution will not hesitate to terminate students who consume alcohol on campus, bring alcohol to the institute or involve in drug trafficking,” he said.
Enrolments begin this week with a few hiccups expected from school leavers and parents.
He said it was “not a good feeling to turn these young people away”, but school authorities could not do much.