Popondetta UNRE campus needs help

THE PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment’s (UNRE) Popondetta campus resumed its academic programmes at the start of the school year.The campus was abandoned six years ago by the UNRE administration paving way for a new institution, the Eastern Papua Institute of Agriculture and Technology.The new institution was established by an act of parliament to govern its academic operations and administration.However, this did not eventuate and the campus was abandoned for six years from 2015 to this year.The campus infrastructure deteriorated as the buildings where built during colonial administration when the campus was known as Popondetta Agriculture Training Institute (Pati) in the early days. It was later known as Popondetta Agriculture College, which came under the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL). The campus had its status changed to university level under the University of Vudal, which later became UNRE.Even though the institution was going through so many name changes, the buildings erected during the colonial era remain the same today, with very little renovation done.The institution was given back to UNRE after six years, to again run its academic programmes this year. This was to cater for the huge number of grade 12 students dropping out every year.Some of last year’s grade 12 students were selected by UNRE for its Popondetta campus.These students are attending courses without access to a proper library. All library books are outdated, there is no computer lab and most lecturers are certificate holders. We need lecturers with masters and PhD qualifications to teach students.UNRE administration must be fair to its students at Popondetta campus by providing all necessary learning equipment.

Student,
UNRE,
Popondetta campus