By Lucy Kopana – EMTV News, Lae
The Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUOT) graduated six hundred and fifty (650) students today at the institution’s 50th graduation ceremony, themed “Applying Transformative Technology Towards Responsible and Sustainable Development”.
Minister for Planning and keynote speaker, Richard Maru, challenged the graduates to have a career goal early in life and to charter a new course for development in the country, reminding them that their contribution was vital.
“No one will build our great nation, it is up to us, especially your generation of our graduating class of 2018. Your generation will be in the peak of your careers…” Mr. Maru told the graduates.
Mr. Maru who is also a former graduate of Unitech spoke highly of the institution and the contribution it has had on nation-building.
“The contribution of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology to the development of our country over the past 50 years is immeasurable”.
Since it’s establishment in the 1960’s, Unitech has produced up to twenty thousand graduates.
Amongst the 650 graduates today, thirty-seven were postgraduates.
This year’s number of graduates was lower than the past two years, with the nursing college hosting a separate graduation ceremony last year.
For those who graduated today, they not only celebrated their individual achievements, they also celebrated fifty years since the first four students graduated from Unitech.