SRC leaders did not care about academic year

WHILE I commend the university students’ protest against the O’Neill Government, I also would like to express my disagreement with student leaders who had little or no con-sideration for the academic year.

The termination of the Univer-sity of Papua New Guinea aca-demic year is most unfortunate and unnecessary.

The prolonged boycott of classes, unrest and violence at the Waigani campus have now taken their toll for many hardworking students.

For some students, this decision may have come with joy and relief while others with great WHILE I commend the university students’ protest against the O’Neill Government, I also would like to express my disagreement with student leaders who had little or no con-sideration for the academic year.

The termination of the Univer-sity of Papua New Guinea aca-demic year is most unfortunate and unnecessary.

The prolonged boycott of classes, unrest and violence at the Waigani campus have now taken their toll for many hardworking students.

For some students, this decision may have come with joy and relief while others with great dissatisfaction and ill-feelings.

Being selected to study at the premier state university is a privi-lege and an opportunity never to be missed.

I believe the protests have actu-ally got the attention of the subject and all concerned Papua New Guineans.

The issue was well taken up and addressed in a more matured and professional manner.

However, the student leaders were shot-sighted and failed mis-erably to devise a contingency plan.

In any approach such as this, contingency plans are always determined so that it acts as a remedy when situations turn out awk-wardly.

Since the Prime MInister was reluctant to comply with the stu-dents’ demand to step down, they should have returned to classes and complete this academic year successfully.

During their Christmas break, they can conduct awareness cam-paigns in their respective provinces and districts against O’Neill and his ruling coalition parties.

This was the only viable option available to remove the Prime Minister which was precisely overlooked. Now that the academic year has been terminated, how would the student leaders answer to hard-working parents and guardians.

Corruption is well entrenched in all systems of government.

It can never be removed or eradicated as easily as we might think with a single protest.

It will take time and good gov-renance by future leaders of this country.

So, as intellectuals we should be more proactive and take holistic approaches to addressing matters concerning interest of collective student body.

Ishmael Nalenge
9-Mile, NCD