UNRE prepares for national events

By UNRE Public Relations

 

Head of the University of Natural Resources and Environment’s student support services, Michael Kukne, is confident that the university will fare well in two upcoming national tertiary student activities.

The university is sending a team of eight students to the Papua New Guinea national youth debate in Madang, while a 167-strong men team will participate at the National Union of Students (NUS) games at the University of Technology in Lae from June 28 to July 4.

Mr Kukne said students had been actively preparing for the two activities for the last two months and he had no doubt they would positively promote the image of the university through their participation as well as their interaction with their peers.

He said the purpose of the debate, which would be staged at Divine Word University from June 21-25, was to involve youth, universities and other tertiary institutions in researching, analysing, considering and forming considered opinions on the PNG responses to the HIV epidemic.

He said the debate was facilitated and funded by PNG National AIDS Council (NAC) and was open to six universities.

All costs (travel, accommodation and meals) will be met by NAC.

The topics to be debated are provocative and designed to ensure a range of HIV-related issues are covered.

Mr Kukne said members of the winning team would become the Prime Minister’s HIV ambassadors for a 12 month-period and be offered a Lahara cadetship at the office of the director of the NAC Secretariat.

He said the final eight students who would represent the university, were selected from mini-debates that were held at the university’s Vudal Campus.

The students will be accompanied by Mr Kukne as coordinator and another university staff, George Korowi, as coach.

Another three staff will accompany students participating in the NUS Games.

Mr Kukne said the university would be represented in soccer, basketball, volleyball, rugby league, rugby touch and union; and urged all participating students to pay their levy fee of K100 each.

He also called on the students to remember that as ambassadors of the university they were abide by its governing rules and regulations, which included its “zero tolerance” stand on alcohol.

The teams have approximately two weeks left for their respective training and rehearsals.