UoG staff on strike

NEXT week’s annual graduation of the University of Goroka and final examinations for semester one now appear uncertain after staff walked off their jobs this week.
These two important events in the university’s academic calendar, which were rescheduled following an eight-week boycott of classes early this year, are likely to be again affected in the new twist of events.
Members of the National Academic Staff Association (NASA) and Non-Academic National Staff Association (NANSA) walked off their jobs, throwing classes, graduation preparation and examinations into total disarray after chancellor Benias Sabumei invited sidelined top management team (TMT) to be on the standing committee to deliberate on the outcome of the recent investigations.
At a lunch-hour meeting yesterday, staff demanded Sabumei to convene an urgent council meeting by next Tuesday to act on the recommendations of the Gene-investigation report.
NASA president Martin Waure and NANSA president Apo Musau said yesterday that they had resolved to continue the sit-in strike for an indefinite period until the matter was dealt with.
“The graduation and semester one final examinations are uncertain and the ball is in the council’s court and they must act swiftly to avoid these disruptions,” Waure said.
“We also call for the outcome of the standing committee’s deliberation on the investigation report held in Port Moresby on  Tuesday to be made public.
“Both NASA and NANSA demand for sidelined TMT and Sabumei to resign over these actions that aggrieved staff at the university,” Waure said.
In a letter dated May 18, Sabumei had written to sidelined Vice-Chancellor Dr Gairo Onagi, pro-vice-chancellor (academic) aasssociate Prof Michael Mel and pro vice-chancellor administration Dr James Yoko that they are duly appointed members to the council to participate in the prioritisation of the recommendations from the gene investigation report in Port Moresby.
Student leaders alleged Sabumei’s signature might have been scanned and put on the letter and claiming the letter might have been written by somebody other than the chancellor.
They told The National that Sabumei was overseas and could not verify his signature on the letter.
Student leaders raised grave concern over disruptions and preparations for next Friday’s graduation and the final semester one examination the following week.