Believe in yourself, prof tells students

HAGEN Park Secondary School, in the heart of the Western Highlands provincial capital, witnessed the graduation of 334 Grade 10 and 232 Grade 12 students last Friday.
University of Goroka Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Michael Mel told the graduates “to believe in yourself when you pursue your education”.
Mel, a former teacher who completed his doctorate at Flinders of South Australia, told the students to commit themselves to their studies.
He said the students would find many challenges ahead of them when they left school.
“Today marks the end of one chapter of your 10 or 12 years in formal education and soon to begin another.
“Some of you will continue your formal education to do Grade 11 or to attend tertiary institutions and some will not get any an offer so you have to believe in yourself to be creative,” Mel said.
He said in the Papua New Guinea education system there was an informal education for those who would not make it through the formal system such as technical and vocational schools.
“You must enrol with those technical colleges because the country is boasting more job opportunities, especially in technical field in the mining areas,” he said.
He said self-belief meant that they accepted who they were and have trust in themselves.
He said peer pressure was one of the biggest problems with the younger generation.
“I urge all you graduates to focus on positive thinking for education is your life,” Mel said.