Meanwhile, the Higher education minister Delilah Gore held a news conference this afternoon at 10 mile outside of Lae again urging the students to return to class.
She was reportedly advised against going into the university because of security reasons but she met with the interim council and the university administration.
She stated that the students’ concerns contained in the petition have been taken on board and that a decision on the Sevua report will be announced at the end of March.
Students have also been advised that the Sevua report can be accessed by writing to the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff.
Another day into the boycott, Unitech students closed the gates. Placards with their demands were put on the fence, although they were reports later that the Acting Vice Chancellor was stopped, but later let through at the gates, when he was driving out for a meeting with the Higher Education Minister.
While the student president met with the students, their message, their demands and their positions had still not been altered.
Unitech has also received strong backing from the National Union of Students. Representatives from the University of Papua New Guinea arrived just after 3:00pm and also called for the release of the Sevua report.
The Higher Education Minister held a meeting at National Agriculture Institute at ten mile outside of Lae, indicating security reasons for not coming into Unitech today, despite guarantees by student leaders, central to the demands contained in the petition conveyed to the PM 2 days ago, is the return of Dr. Schram, who has not been allowed into the country.
While there appears to be no end and sight to this impasse, students say they will continue the boycott.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=uvCuYPDTHsA%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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