MoU sets path for students

SCHOOL leavers and dropouts will get a second chance at tertiary education following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing among the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (Unitech), the Department of Open and Distance Learning (DODL) and Gerehu Secondary School on Wednesday.
The MoU allows DODL’s Port Moresby’s office to continue with its services in the school for the next five years.
DODL department head from Unitech Paul Nongor said the MoU was a bonus for Gerehu Secondary because its students who failed to make it to tertiary institutions directly would have the opportunity to be enrolled with Unitech.
“We do not want to waste money building our own empires to show people that this is where the DODL institution is located.
“Instead, we want to utilise infrastructure that is already in place.
“In this case, Gerehu Secondary School has been working closely with us for the past six years. That is why we renewed the understanding again, and in doing so, will also help with the upgrading of school facilities,” Nongor said.
He said DODL was providing a second chance for students to enter the tertiary education system.
NCD general educators services and assistant education secretary Ouka Lavaki, who was the guest speaker, said the Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE) was also a pathway to achieving goals of entry into higher institutions.
“The down side to the education system is that not all the students will get direct entry into universities or colleges.
“Therefore, through DODL or FODE, students will get the opportunity to matriculate and upgrade their marks for Grades 10 and 12 to gain entry in institutions of higher learning,”Lavaki said.
Gerehu Secondary School principal Ula Pokana thanked the Education Department in NCD and in particular Unitech for the working relations that provided students a second chance in tertiary education and life.