Tabar says university students, leaders arrogant

 By ABIGAIL PHOEBE
MINISTER for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Malakai Tabar is disappointed with the “arrogance” of University of PNG students and their leaders.
“I have always called on students to respect the law. While many students are boycotting classes, there are many others who also want to return to classes,” he said.
Tabar said he had asked the council of the University of Papua New Guinea to organise a “free passage” for students who wanted to return to classes.
He also said those who wanted to continue boycotting classes should vacate the institution and mobilise elsewhere at their own risk.
“As you leave the premises of the university, you leave the jurisdiction of the university’s administration and the laws that govern the university,” he said. Tabar said students had defied calls from his office to return to classes.
“This is now a situation outside the jurisdiction of the university and the department that I am looking after,” he said.
“We are about higher education, we are about coordinating academic programmes of universities. Politics is outside our jurisdiction.”
Tabar visited the University of Papua New Guinea students at the Waigani campus during the beginning of their protest about six weeks ago.