UNRE to impose K200 graduation fee

THE University of Natural Resources and Environment will charge a K200 graduation fee from this year.
During the university’s 50th council meeting, it was agreed students must pay up when registering to take part in the graduation ceremony.
A statement from the vice-chancellor’s office said the fee was necessary because unlike other universities, UNRE’s Vudal campus in East New Britain was in an isolated area.
Being so far from the main town, made it hard for relatives of graduating students to assist the students with food, accommodation and transport.
Prof Phillip Siaguru said on arrival at the campus during graduations, students and relatives depended entirely on the university for accommodation and meals.
He said that placed a heavy burden on the university systems such as messing, electricity, water, fuel and transportation because lectures for continuing students were in progress.
Siaguru said the K200 graduation fee was to help the university manage those costs.
He said it cost around K500 a day to accommodate and feed one person on campus.
The gown fee is collected in two categories. K150 for degree students, while diploma students pay K120 and of this, 60% is refundable to students.
“Most times, students walk off with gowns, lose or misplace it and it costs the university about K1,000 to replace a single gown,” he said.
“Nothing is free in this world. Too much handout by the government or its agencies will create false expectations from our students and parents.
“We are living within the realities of a modern era and we must accept that in order for us to grow our economy and proposer Papua New Guinea as a nation, we have to bear the cost of living honestly, or learn to adjust and live within our means,” Siaguru said.
He said attending a graduation was not compulsory and students who could not afford to could graduate in absence as their names would still be recorded in the university’s common roll.
The institution will have its next graduation on March 30.