DHERST admits 700 students affected by online selection mishap

By Adelaide Sirox Kari – EMTV News, Port Moresby

700 Grade 12 School leavers from 2018 have been affected due to a mishap found during the online selection.

EMTV News had received numerous reports of students receiving an alert that they had been selected and then being advised they were no longer eligible for the institution.

Last month EMTV News met Ishmael Alopea at the DHERST office who was there to file his complaint, as he was one of the students affected by this mishap.

Ishmael, a former De La Salle student had applied to the Pacific Adventist University to study Bachelor in Secondary Education as his second choice, he had received an SMS alert that he had been selected. However, after PAU had posted their final list of selected students, his name was nowhere to be found.

Another student’s father had reached out to EMTV News as his daughter had faced a similar situation. Enos Penea had enquried to DHERST and received a letter back from DHERST explaining a there had been “data discrepancies”.

EMTV News spoke to DHERST Secretary Father Jan Czuba, who said it was caused by institutions changing their criteria after selections were made. Selection’s done by students in the lead, up to the 48hr grace period some Universities, Colleges and insitutions changed their criteria for different courses they offered.

Farther Jan said they will fix the issues going forward. But for those 700 students affected, Farther Jan said some students have found a space at an institution while most are in admission pools.

Other issues DHERST will be looking at, is whether institution had given correct quota as some insitutions are regestering more students than the initial qutoa given for selections.

An investigation is currently taking place and Seretary Fr. Jan says details of the investigations will be relased to the public.