UOG students want new caretaker named

THE University of Goroka (UOG) students want the Office of Higher Education and Minister Michael Ogio to immediately appoint a caretaker management and a full council for the university.
Student representative council (SRC) president Benzamin Michael said they want Mr Ogio and the Office of Higher Education director Dr William Tagis to intervene because they have lost trust and confidence in the current (UOG) administration.
“We want a caretaker administration to facilitate the setting up of a full council to address several outstanding issues affecting students, staff and UOG,” he said.
“We are still waiting for Mr Ogio and Dr Tagis to act. The boycott will continue as long as they do not come to Goroka,” he said.
The students continued with the boycott of classes despite a court order obtained by UOG against the students’ action.
The National Union of Students (NUS) head is also backing the actions of UOG students.
“I disagree with the court decision which the UOG obtained because that does not really represent the needs of students,” NUS interim president Justin Herape said.
Mr Michael said UOG vice-chancellor Dr Gairo Onagi was believed to have gone to Port Moresby and had yet to make a statement as the boycott entered its third week.
Dr Onagi, however, went to the court to get an order ordering the students to return to classes.
The students have secured a lawyer to represent them in court when the matter is heard in the Goroka National Court this morning.
According to a student leader, they had filed their affidavits which will be presented to the court by their lawyer.
The Goroka Court house is likely to draw a huge crowd of students as they are gearing up to show their strength at the action of the university administration.
Meanwhile, Goroka MP Thompson Harokaqveh met the SRC yesterday and proposed that the students give a 21-day notice to the administration to establish a full council and return to classes.