Fee to fix financial problem

The University of Papua New Guinea is charging a graduation fee of K600.
Acting Pro vice chancellor Prof Mange Matui, right, told The National that it was a new initiative as “every other university charged their students a graduation fee”.
“What has created the storm was that this is the first time that we’ve asked students to pay for the graduation,” he said.
Matui said the University of Papua New Guinea was facing financial woes and therefore asked graduating students to pay for the new fee.
“We are going through a difficult time and we have not enough money to operate this university and therefore we asked the students to assist us.”
He said other universities like the University of Goroka, University of Technology, Divine Word University and universities around the world charged graduation fees.
“It is in line with tertiary education system in the world.
He said this was the first time the university charged such fee.
“This university was started in 1965 and for the last 52 years we have not charged graduation fees.”
Matui added that the Government had reduced the University of Papua New Guinea’s funding from K52 million to K49m this year.
“Every year we have reduction in government funding.
“When we have that, the cost has to be incurred somewhere and the ultimate beneficiaries are the students.”
The 62nd graduation ceremony of the  University of Papua New Guinea has being approved by the university council to be on  July 28.
The university in a recent public notice, ugred  final year students who had already submitted an application to graduate, to complete a new one and pay the new graduation fee in order for their application to be processed.