Justice Department enrols second batch for law programme

Education

THE Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG) has enrolled the second batch of students for its Diploma in Justice Administration (DJA) programme offered through Divine Word University in Madang.
The DJAG brought together 17 officers from government departments and agencies in the law and justice sector across the country for the first two weeks of the residential component of their two-year study at the Madang campus from June 19-30.
This follows the graduation of the pioneer batch of students in the DJA programme during the 35th
DWU graduation ceremony in March.
DJAG Secretary Dr Lawrence Kalinoe, himself a former university law professor and executive dean of the law school at the University of PNG, is among lecturers for the DJA programme.
Dr Kalinoe was at the DWU campus and presented his lectures on the unit (subject) “Introduction to the Legal System” last week.
Department programme coordinator lecturer Antonia Manau said the department under the leadership of Dr Kalinoe has been concerned about issues relating to the administration of justice by officers in departments and agencies in the law and justice sector and the program is to help improve the services.
According to the DJA programme specification document: “The Diploma in Justice Administration is designed to prepare students to deliver timely, independent, fair, efficient and effective prosecution and related services to the people of Papua New Guinea.”
Manau said in the long run the Department aims to have frontline officers in the administration of justice such as District Court Clerks and Judicial Services Officers to be well-versed with the relevant laws and procedures so they provide professional and efficient services to the public. She said the DJAG saw a need in putting these officers through formal university-based training in relevant laws and procedures in the administration of justice because short workshops of a few days, though useful, were not as effective.
Manau said 24 officers were selected for this cohort but five could not make it as they were engaged in the national election operations.
The department offers the DJA programme through DWU via a memorandum of agreement reached between the two parties in 2015.
The university has similar programme arrangements with the PNG Customs and the Department of Personnel Management.