Students to leave campus

 By HELEN TARAWA
STUDENTS residing at the University of PNG campus are expected to leave by Saturday following the council’s decision to terminate the 2016 academic year.
Chancellor Dr Nicholas Mann said they expected all students vacate the campus.
“Most of the students have left and we only have a handful. Many of our students have travelled back to their provinces at their own costs,” he said.
“Universities are not responsible for issues relating to sponsorships (and) scholarships. Our role is to educate and train. That is the same at all universities.”
He said they would be informing the students’ sponsors of the council’s decision.
The Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology has been informed of the council’s decision.
“The work is now in motion to prepare for the repatriation of the bulk of our students on government scholarships,” Mann said.
In relation to the refund of tuition fees, vice-chancellor Professor Albert Mellam said they had used up the funds for Semester One.
“The fees were used on electricity, water and food. (They cover) the boarding and lodging fees for students in Semester One.”
He said some students wanted to have their Semester Two fees carried forward to next year.
Mann said it was not the first time UPNG had to terminate the academic year.
In 1991, there was violence and riots on campus forcing the semester to be terminated.
In 2001, there was also a situation in which students’ lives were lost, resulting in the termination of the semester.
Meanwhile, Mann said the curfew imposed on campus would continue as it was a Government decision.
He added that the university would continue to operate and hence the need for the curfew to be on until such time that the Government decides otherwise.