PNGSDP scholars leave for Australia

TWELVE Western province Grade 12 graduates, who competed for scholarships for the top male and female student in 2008 and last year were given a special farewell by PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP) Ltd last Sunday.
The students commence their studies at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) on Jan 11 and, during their first year, will have the opportunities to choose the programme they wish to take up.
Chief programme officer of PNGSDP, Camillus Midire, told the students and their family members that the scholarship scheme was fully-funded by PNGSDP and arose from a concern by the board of PNGSDP that more opportunities should be offered to Western province secondary school graduates to gain broad-based academic and technical skills.
“We are fortunate that a good number of young Western province people are already making their way through universities and colleges in PNG,” Mr Midire said.
He added that the efforts to bring about sustainable development in the Western province could only happen if there were skilled people to make things happen.
“Our board wanted to provide an opportunity for some students to gain experience abroad and be able to bring that experience back to Western province and our hope is that you students will succeed in  the studies you choose and find you are able to make a valuable contribution to the province, your careers and families,” Mr Midire said.
The students are Dominic Sibili (Awaba), Anita Malawa (Awaba), Carina Davey (Daru), Velle Kisua (Daru), Olton Peter (Kiunga), Elizabeth Wamsa (Kiunga), Devinago Deho (Kiunga), Hilda Duwaba (Kiunga), Amani Thomas (Daru), Bareya Kanora (Daru), Jason Megaia (Awaba) and Doris Toni (Awaba).