Department at fault

Letters

I SUPPORT students and parents who have raised concern regarding the online selection system.
On the outset, the online selection system used by Department of Higher Education and Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) is illegal.
The role of selecting secondary students to institutions was sanctioned by NEC and this task is to be carried out by the respective universities and colleges – not DHERST.
DHERST plays a coordinating role in the national selection process such as printing and making available school leaver forms for students and ensuring that the final exam results for grade 12s are ready for selectors from institutions to use during selections yearly.
DHERST’s main responsibility is to award Tertiary Education Student Assistance Scheme (TESAS) scholarships to selected students based on selection list from the institutions.
DHERST is not mandated to select students and award scholarships simultaneously.
This is illegal.
I am perplexed as to why university heads and college principals are not making any noise on this crucial matter.
Assuming that DHERST was given approval by NEC to conduct national selections, then it is only proper that DHERST trial it out with one or two selected secondary/national high schools and one teachers/technical/nursing college for a year or two.
If there are errors etc… DHERST can fine-tune the programme/software and re-trial it.
Once the system or programme is foolproof, then it can be rolled out to all tertiary institutions across the country.
Since no trials were done, Papua New Guinea can expect 50 per cent of students missing out on opportunities to further their education if we continue to use untested software introduced.
On behalf of many students who are victimised by the online selection system, I appeal to the Government to stop DHERST’s online selection programme and review it before implementing it.

Concerned parent and citizen,
Lae

One thought on “Department at fault

  • Its not the selection process that students miss out on being selected, it is the unavailability of space in the learning institution, when did the Government built new universities and technical colleges apart from those built since independence to cater for the increase in the number of students year in year out, NONE! if their is no space than build new institution to cater for the increase, in westernized countries there is no such thing as no space, if their is no space they build new institutions to cater for the increase. IN PNG we say no space and thats it end of story.

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