University of Papua New Guinea

So a young woman has taken it on herself to share the spirit of peace and harmony where she goes.

It started with her decision to attend a camp for self-discovery.

Nadia Marai, a recent graduate of the University of Papua New Guinea’s journalism strand, sees herself as fortunate to be a participant to the 2nd Pacific Self-Discovery Camp early this year in March.

It’s an exercise the UPNG Journalism and Public Relations strand has taken to help its third year News Coverage students get their minds back in school through practical engagement. This was after classes resumed following the boycott and student unrest.

Tutor and trip coordinator, Joycelyn Mark, said the students’ visit on Friday to the Bomana National Court was part of the theory component of the course and more visits will be done during the semester.

Darrel Kamen went before Justice Leka Nablu this morning, asking the court to have the two cases that were filed for judicial review dismissed.

He told the court the all the students’ appeals that were filed to the university's Appeals Committee after they were permanently excluded went in their favour and they are back in class.

Their appeals are upheld by the university on Oct 6. They have since been allowed back on campus and are sitting their exams.

He said there was nothing left to proceed with in the National Court from the Judicial Review cases.

Word has been circulating around the UPNG campus that NASA will stop work over the non-payment of its members.

However, President Emmanuel Gorea told Loop PNG that: “Going on strike will be our last resort, if we have exhausted all other avenues”.

“Some of us have not been paid last year and this year,” Gorea confirms. But discussions over their salary issues are already underway with the UPNG administration.

The president stresses that they want the students to complete their first semester as they ‘have been through a lot already’.

The 2016 academic year was terminated following eight weeks of continuous boycott, protest, intimidation and arson.

UPNG acting chancellor Dr Nicholas Mann confirmed today that all students have left campus.

Dr Mann said students that were enrolled in 2016 will not reapply but only register again for the 2017 academic year.

He said only the 2016 Grade 12 students will apply for first year in 2017.

The university senate is putting in place a structure to accommodate the 2016 first year students and the new intakes.

A sign-on letter calling for an immediate end to repression of the student movement has already received over 220 international signatories from academics, unionists, NGOs, students, public servants and business people.

Referring to the June 23 confrontation, Rapa said: “Please note that I and my fellow UPNG SRC members were restrained by a court order obtained by UPNG administration, restraining us from conducting any further boycott and protests.

“Any actions taken by my council members and myself to mobilise students would been seen as actions undertaken to boycott classes and we would be in contempt.