A mess in the halls of learning

 INVESTIGATING the standoff between the University of Technology council on the one hand and its once-upon-a-time vice-chancellor and the students on the other, the team sent to report on the circumstances arising found certain issues which it termed “exogenous” that affected the university.

These factors, we believe, are not exclusive to Unitech and affect all universities and tertiary colleges in the country.

They are contentious issues, exert their own influences in varying degrees upon the universities and college administration, staff and students.

They need urgent addressing by the Government and the Commission of Higher Education before they too gestate into burning issues that halt learning at other institutions as they did at Unitech.

The first of these that the team fingered is the perpetual shortfall in government funding. Unitech, University of PNG and other university campuses and colleges are forced to accommodate budgetary shortfalls annually against their targeted submissions.

These submissions, if they are properly prepared and we have no reason to doubt that they are, seek funding to keep institutions that are proper and of acceptable standing and reputation.

Funding shortfalls then lead to lack of maintenance to facilities, inability to replace technical instruments, increase library resources, poor dining services and introduce and maintain state of the art IT equipment.

The next trend the investigating team noted in Lae was low morale among staff. Of course, the main bone of contention here is remuneration conditions, particularly for national academic staff.

Salary and housing shortages also affect non-academic staff as well.

These factors give rise to a third issue at most institutions and that is low retention of qualified staff. Educational institutions of higher learning can only function and maintain their reputation depending on the quality of experienced and qualified academic, ancillary and technical staff members. When such staff members leave institutions to seek better conditions outside of the education system, there is a cause for concern.

Well-trained staff are in short supply and when they leave, universities are often left in the lurch with no readily available replacements. Often, they have to make do with those who are less qualified or experienced. This affects learning a great deal.

Remaining staff members are often overloaded with teaching responsibilities, which then affects quality teaching.

With the Government’s drive to get more students into schools at the primary and secondary level, the need to increase capacity at tertiary colleges is now dire.

The challenge to accommodate more students affects classroom space, dining facilities, lecture halls and living quarters.

Universities were traditionally drawing new intakes from four national high schools: Aiyura, Kerevat, Passam and Sogeri. Now the numbers of feeder schools have expanded.

Law and order which affects the whole of society has its own nasty presence within universities and colleges. The internal conflicts among students on campus in many colleges have forced campuses to close.

Another problem peculiar to colleges is that many staff members have served overly-long terms without replenishment, rejuvenation and change.

While the Unitech matter has been addressed, these general matters affect this institution as well as others throughout the country and require a more studied approach. 

These are matters which will, if left to fester, ultimately create far bigger problems in future.