UOT gets female dorm

By JACINTA COHLEE
FEMALE students attending the University of Technology will benefit from an AUD6.3 million (K15 million) 100-bed dormitory project, says an official.
University vice chancellor Dr. Ora Renagi said the dormitory will be built for female students to settle and study to be effective and good professionals.
Dr. Renagi said the 100 beds were to support additional female enrolments in technical disciplines each year by providing safe and secure accommodation.
Australian High Commission counsellor Simon King performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the dormitory on Wednesday.
The dormitory will include features to support students achieve their study potential, such as study desks and internet access points.
King said the PNG-Australia partnership was pleased to support more women accessing technical education, and increase their opportunities for constructive employment.
“A qualified, well-trained technical workforce is essential for PNG to be a part of today’s modern world, to take advantage of emerging opportunities not just in PNG, but globally,” King said.
“Both men and women should be able to participate equally in this sector and in the lucrative opportunities that are available for employment in technical fields.”
King said the safe and secure on-campus accommodation will not only open up education opportunities for more women, but also improve education outcomes for them at the university by reducing overcrowding and giving access to new modern facilities.
Regional Engineering and Construction (REC) will be engaged to construct the dormitory.
REC director Danny Kepi highlighted that the project would take about 14 months to complete where the building would be constructed in two floors (upstairs and downstairs).
Morobe governor Luther Wenge also made commitments to the university during the groundbreaking ceremony.
He said the Morobe government would build a dormitory subjected to advice from the university, build a concrete road on campus and sponsor top three students to study radiology to operate the x-ray machine at Angau Memorial Hospital to treat cancer patients.
Wenge said the Government aimed to employ Papua New Guineans to save the lives of fellow citizens diagnosed with cancer.
“I have made a commitment on behalf of the Morobe government to do all these for the university and the people,”Wenge said.
He thanked the Australian government for funding the dormitory and other major development investments in Lae and the country.