Schram tells staff members to stay at home

 By VICKY BAUNKE
UNIVERSITY of Technology staff have been instructed to stay away from work for their safety.
Vice-chancellor Dr Albert Schram held a meeting at the Taraka campus yesterday to brief the staff on the situation at the university following Saturday night’s killing of a student in his dormitory by armed men.
Schram told the staff that for safety reasons, work would be suspended until the body of student Graham Romanong had been repatriated to his home in Southern Highlands.
The meeting was attended by Morobe provincial education committee chairman Andrew Gena, the university management, and the academic and administrative staff.
Schram’s car was damaged by a group of students at the administration car park on Monday. The attack took place while he was returning from a meeting.
He believes that the group of students did not like his statements to the media.
Schram said he had been very careful on the words he used to avoid instigating further unrest on campus.
But he said the students’ action was not helping the image of the university and the country.
“Issues must be settled through dialogue and not through violent acts,” Schram said.
He said while the haus krai was continuing on campus, normal operations were suspended. He urged staff to stay indoors and observe the campus curfew imposed.
Gena told the staff that the body of the late Romanong would accompanied by a student and two staff when it was taken home to Mendi.
Meanwhile, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu students have been repatriated by their governments to complete their studies at the University of the South Pacific in Suva and the University of Fiji in Lautoka.