UNITECH IN CRISIS (Update No.1)

By Nou Vada via www.newspng.org

UNITECH is in a state of chaos.

Vehicles burnt. Classes boycotted. School locked down.

Chancellor Philip Stagg's Official Vehicle burnt by students 

Students found out this week that newly appointed Vice Chancellor Dr. Albert Schram, formerly of the Maastrict University in the Netherlands, was sacked by the UNITECH Council for reasons as yet not known.

There is wide speculation from students that Dr. Schram was sacked after he uncovered widespread mismanagement and corruption on the part of other administrators of one of Papua New Guinea's biggest Universities.The speculation is that the sacking of Dr. Schram was initiated by UNITECH's Chancellor Philip Stagg.



Dr. Albert Schram, the sacked Vice Chancellor of UNITECH

There is as yet no official statement from UNITECH's Council, which is the highest Governing body of the University, to address the speculation.

Today UNITECH students went on the rampage and set fire to a number of official vehicles including Chancellor Stagg's official Vehicle and the Registrar of students' 15 seater bus in anger over the surprise sacking of the Vice-Chancellor.

It is understood by this blogger that students are in a lock-down at Taraka Campus and the main gates are closed and no-one is walking around. It is understood also that classes have been boycotted and a 48 hour ultimatum has been given to the Council to reverse its decision and for Council members to resign. It is not clear what the students will do if the Council does not comply.


Bus vandalised with the words "We want VC Dr. Schram"

It is also not clear if the actions of the students have been organised by the Student Representative Council.

Funnily enough, there appears to be an information blackout on the part of the Students. Numerous attempts by this blogger to verify conflicting reports and get situation reports on the ground at Taraka have been met with statements like "No comment".

As a fellow tertiary student at UPNG, this blogger has appealed to UNITECH students to break the silence now:

"IF THE WHOLE TARAKA CAMPUS HAS UNDERTAKEN TO KEEP SILENT THEN I AM TELLING YOU THAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE.... PREPARE A PRESS STATEMENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL PREPARES ONE AND FRAMES THE ARGUMENT AGAINST YOU.... DO IT AND DO IT NOW BEFORE THE PUBLIC OPINION BECOMES ENTRENCHED AGAINST YOU

TAKE IT FROM THE UPNG KIDS WHO ORGANISED OCCUPY WAIGANI"

While the entire local media is poised and focused to events transpiring at the Courts, the Parliament and the Police Precincts here in the Nation's Capital, UNITECH is in a state of chaos, and with this prolonged silence, the rest of the nation is confused as to what's happening.

It is understood that at approximately 4pm 17/04/2012 the Vice-Chancellor addressed students at a meeting, though it is not clear yet what exactly the meeting was about.
The next two days will be very interesting indeed for UNITECH.




Students mobilizing at the main gate at UNITECH

www.newspng.org (coming soon)