University graduates student posthumously

By NATHAN WOTI
UPNG journalism student
THE University of Papua New Guinea will graduate a deceased final-year student posthumously.
The student, Stenic Whome Poiya, was killed on Dec 14 by a village councillor in Jiwaka.
UPNG executive officer Herra Onno said Poiya was a final-year tourism and hospitality student and would have been eligible to graduate in April.
Poiya was on holiday in his village in Kindeng, Anglimp South Wahgi when he was shot and killed.
Onno said it was part of the UPNG’s policy to graduate students who had died. He said they did this out of respect and to show that the student deserved the degree.
“The university will posthumously graduate the late student Stenic Poiya,” Onno said.
Onno said that graduating on posthumous grounds meant the university awarded degrees whether the deceased were in second year or in the final year, but had died before completing their studies.
Onno told The National that it was unfortunate for the final year student to “go like this, given the fact that he had worked hard to go up to the stage and get his degree”.
“A lot has been sacrificed for him to come this far and it saddens us that he won’t be here to receive his degree,” Onno said.
“As a community here (UPNG) we will play our part in honouring him by giving his degree to his family.”
However, there is still no word from UPNG vice-chancellor Prof Frank Griffin yet, but Onno, a long-time member of the university and the executive officer of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, said the university’s management would be made aware of the arrangement along with the Tourism/Hospitality Strand and the School of Business and Public Policies (SBPP).