By ORCHY REX
NINETEEN students from five districts of Madang Province are preparing to embark on a historic academic journey to India, marking the first time Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE) students from the province will study abroad.
The students, who will take up programs ranging from engineering, media studies, hospitality, to business, will have all tuition fees, accommodation, medical insurance, and monthly allowances covered by the Madang Provincial Government under an agreement worth about K600,000.
Speaking during the farewell ceremony, Madang Governor Ramsey Pariwa, described the event as a milestone in the province’s education history.
“It is with great pleasure that I stand here to witness our first FODE students going abroad to study in another country. This will go down in our history as the moment Madang students from the FODE stream, not the mainstream, pursued education abroad,” Mr Pariwa said.
He added that while FODE was often viewed as an alternative pathway, its value and potential should not be underestimated.
“FODE is not a second-class option. It’s the same, but the beauty is, it’s flexible,” he said. “It gives you hope. It gives me hope, that FODE will take you anywhere if you put your hands down and study harder.”
The governor reflected on the achievements of notable leaders who rose through the FODE system, including the late Minister for Education, Jimmy Uguro, and former Madang MP Nixon Duban.
“Late Jimmy Uguro was a FODE student. He became the Member for Usino Bundi, then a Minister for Education. Nixon Duban was also a FODE student and became a national leader. These are examples that show FODE can take you far,” he said.
Under the arrangement, each student will receive a monthly allowance of 5,000 Indian rupees for living expenses. Upon completing their degree programs, they will return to Papua New Guinea and work for their first two years in Madang Province as part of a giving back to the province.
Governor Pariwa stressed the importance of breaking bureaucratic barriers and investing boldly in education.
“Too many protocols and formalities have kept us in the same place for 50 years of independence. Sometimes we need to step out of that world, beyond our boundaries, beyond our protocols, to get things done,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Jack Junior Anan, urged other young people in Madang not to give up if they missed opportunities in the mainstream system.
“If you don’t get a chance in the mainstream education and you feel that your life is useless in Madang, go to FODE, get good grades, and tag along. Thank you Governor, for the opportunity,” he said.
The group is expected to leave for India in the coming days to begin their studies at various universities, marking a new chapter for FODE education in Madang Province.