Catholic Bishops Conference condemns closure of University of Papua New Guinea

The Catholic Bishops Conference (CBC) has condemned the decision by the UPNG Council to terminate the 2016 academic year .   According to the CBC, the church understands that it was a tough decision to make given the difficult situation that the universities administration and the country is facing.   

However, CBC believes that the Council has not looked into all possibilities in addressing the situation.   CBC General Secretary in PNG and Solomon Islands Fr. Victor Roche said the closing the academic year  and sending the students back home is a big financial loss to the students and the government.   Fr Roche stated that if 5000 students go back to their villages and towns to do nothing for the rest of the year, there would be more likely social issues brewing over the recent issues and can go out of control.   

He added that CBC was happy to note that the Prime Minister is optimistic and that the church wants the academic year to continue and appeals to the Prime Minister to intervene and save the academic year despite the decisions that have been made by the university council recently.   He added that the CBC strongly appeal to the Prime Minister to address the people of PNG through the media about the present situation and must give confidence to the students of the state-run universities and all the people of PNG so that the situation can be taken into control. 

  Meanwhile, CBC is appealing to the University Councils and administration to seek the help of the Chaplaincies or the CBC towards reconciliation and also for soul-searching or a proper inquiry into the whole situation by a neutral party for a peaceful solution and a way forward.