FODE students call on principal to resign

By ZACHERY PER
STUDENTS attending flexible open distant education (FODE) tutorials in Eastern Highlands yesterday called on the principal Demas Tongogo to resign.
Student leader Baina Simahe Peterson said they were not satisfied with the response by Tongogo to statements by Eastern Highlands FODE coordinator Jogolo Markjober Sogone and tutorial coordinator Sharon Mathias about the need to speed up distribution of material.
“FODE is the only option for us to get back into the formal education system, we need the materials and tutorials badly in our studies,” Petersen said.
“We are calling for his immediate resignation because Tongogo should offer solutions to problems facing us at the provincial centres, addressing real issues, shortage of materials and inadequate classroom facilities instead of barking at his officers who work very hard in the provinces to help unfortunate students.”
He said because of the success of FODE tutorial programme in Eastern Highlands, students from all over PNG were coming to Goroka to enrol.
“The tutorial programme in Eastern Highlands is successfully sending 22 to 25 students since 2008 to tertiary institutions every year,” Peterson said.
“We know that the World Bank funded FODE tutorial with K15 million in 2010, the money is yet to be expended and the material for this year is yet to be received.
“We are concerned that this hinders the progress in our studies. We may not sit for our examinations in June and fill in school leaver
applications.”
Peterson also urged Tongogo to address the problem and stop using media to be defensive and overlooking the real issues at the provincial centres.
FODE tutor Helen Guiyop said the tutorial was an initiative of Mathias for the students and she successfully secured funding from the Eastern Highlands provincial government.