UPNG inept: Academic

National, Normal
Source:

BARNABAS ORERE PONDROS

AN academic at the University of Papua New Guinea has labelled the institution’s management as “inept” and said the academic and physical welfare of staff and students has been neglected and was a protracted problem.
The academic made these accusations as he held the management was too slow in sorting the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) systems that would enable research through the internet and communication with the “outside world”.
He claimed the ICT systems at the university were a farce and that some residents at the university had been without water for three weeks.
“We are said to be the premiere institution in the South Pacific but this does not show in the ineffective systems we have in place,” he said.
He went on to point out that the internet was making a difference in other institutions “offering opportunities to work more closely with people everywhere and to share experiences and learning but sadly this is not happening at UPNG”.
His discontent was also because “staff at a section of the university estate had no water connection for the past 12 weeks”.
His version was that after a maintenance on some water mains, water had not been restored and residents had been toughing it.
However, the UPNG registrar and pro Vice-Chancellor academic and student affairs refuted these claims, tagging it baseless.
Registrar Jennifer Popat said the claims were baseless and that her office had not received any complaints from staff.
“If a staff has a concern they should take it up with the right department so the situation can be addressed,” she said.
Regarding the ICT issue, Prof Alan Easton, pro Vice-Chancellor academic and student affairs confirmed that the university had faced problems in this regard “but these difficulties have been overcome”.
He said the problem was already addressed and systems have been put in place to address the issue.
“All staff should know better that we have sent out a memorandum advising of these changes and that they should see the ICT department to have their connections restored,” Prof Easton said.