By FRANCIS RODNEY PULU
THE relationship that was developed between two notable standing people in Port Moresby has now grown to a great and beneficial relationship that is benefitting the people whom are regarded as drop outs or come out from the normal education system and are given second chance of life as far as education is concern.
This paper was able to come across this rare story that was established between the Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Multi Cultural College, Thomas Phillar and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Capital District Provincial Health Authority (NCDPHA), Dr Steven Yennie some five years ago.
During the eight-graduation ceremony of this college in December 2022, Phillar told those who were present on how he came across Dr Yennie and how their relationship blossomed since then to benefit the students attending this institution.
In recalling, Phillar said how he in search for a guest speaker back in 2017 met Dr Yennie when he was then the CEO of the Gerehu Provincial Hospital prior to his latest appointment as the CEO of the NCDPHA last year.
How remarkable is this relationship because when Dr Yennie was the guest speaker in 2017 about top three students were recruited in the top three streams of General Nursing (GN), Community Health Worker (CHW) and Business Studies (BS).
Yet again last month the institution was again privileged when Dr Yennie once again announced the recruitment of about five top students from the three streams.
This College offers secondary education in grade ten and twelves and also has an institution that offers the three main streams and a course from the Open Campus of the University of Goroka (UOG).
Dr Yennie while making the announcement commended the partnership between NCDPHA and this institution.
“For us it is about medicine and quality health work force and we are unfortunately strained due to capacity and resource challenges so maybe institutions such as this gives us the nurses to address the challenges particularly in the space of health care.
And NCDPHA is very privileged and honor to be here this morning and be a great partner to deliver health services in NCD and this morning I am happy to announce that we will be recruiting five top students from this institution.
These students will be under short term contracts and this is how the recruitment will go for the first and second in the GN, first and second in the CHW and also the first in BS,” he said.
Dr Yennie encouraged the students that commitment to work force is very important in-service delivery.
“We deal with human lives and when you are engaged in this very important profession it is about your commitment to your job so together, we will build a strong work force,” he said.
Dr Yennie added that those that were recruited in 2017 are now enjoying their work as Public Servants.
“And maybe in the next graduation we can invite them to share their experiences in the health sector and also the continuity of their career in the health space,” he said.
Phillar while commending the announcement said that moment is history.
“This is very important and unbelievable because with this relationship that we will create today is going to be a history.
They have done that on one occasion and the benefits have been great and now they are going to get five or them so it is really going to be amazing and it is also good for other students who are doing year one, year two and year three and those other potential students out there,” he said.
One of the invited speakers Mark Gundu, the Director of UOG, Southern Regional Open Campus told the graduating students to look after their knowledge once they graduate.
“As you graduate from here look after your knowledge and that is very important because it will also look after you.
In the Bible it says that knowledge is power.
It is like an egg.
If you lose it or drop it and when it breaks it breaks for good so just look after our knowledge as an egg and you will see its power and how it brings to the world,” he said.
Gundu told the graduating grade 12 students that if they cannot make it to university, UOG is there.
“We are doing upgrading for grade 12 leavers and over the years we have sent upgraders to the UOG so you have an opportunity and if you come next year to enroll you will see me and we will upgrade you so later you go to UOG or other institutions that you wish to apply,” he said.
He said the campus also offers Diploma Programs in Early Childhood Education and in Business Studies,” he said.
College Principal, Damien Kontz praised the college and its facilities and said to increase the number of students in 2023 and onwards.
