WHP parent unhappy with UPNG boycott

By YVONNE HAIP
A PARENT in Western Highlands is unhappy with the decision by students of University of Papua New Guinea to boycott classes last Thursday.
He said parents had worked hard to pay fees and buy necessities for students so they could get educated and become involved in national politics.
He said their children were getting involved in a national issue that
was not their direct concern.
Simon Bill said student leaders were wrong to influence the student body and lead such protests and boycotts as it would affect studies.
Bill said there were authorities and organisations in place such as the trade unions to conduct such protests.
He said students were supposed to be in the classrooms learning and not on the streets shouting and screaming against laws.
He said he was unhappy to see students opting to set aside their future to speak out against a law.
Bill said as educated young adults, it would be better if the students took responsibility to speak for the good of the country.
He said if the students wanted to tangle with politics, they should withdraw from studies and contest the coming election.
Bill said as a student, he had been involved
in a similar protest
in 1992 and had achieved nothing good from it.
He said the student leaders would be the sole beneficiaries while the rest of the student population would fall behind in their studies.
He called on the students to return to normal classes today.