Listen to thisGarry Sali
In August this year (2009), the Second Year Communication for Development students in the Department of Language and Communication Studies (LCS) of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNG UNITECH) participated in the Huon Seminar Exhibition activities. This seminar was organized by the PNG UNITECH and participants were drawn from a wide ranging section of the community addressing mostly science and technology issues, but issues relating to sustainable development, governance, ethics and morality, and community empowerment were also discussed. An important part of the seminar was the departmental exhibition organized by staff and students from each of the 12 academic departments of UNITECH. The LCS Department participation in this Exhibition was well acknowledged by the organizers of the seminar and the visitors who turned out in big numbers to see the department set up, its activities and what it offers.
Second Year Communication for Development students getting ready for the Exhibition
The Exhibition was not only an opportunity to promote the academic activities of the LCS Department but also an important event for the students in the Communication for Development program to put their theoretical aspects of communication knowledge and skills into practice.
The Second Year students, who were given the opportunity to be involved and participate in this Exhibition, should feel proud of themselves because they have, through utilization of their communication skills, delivered important messages to the Exhibition visitors. Although these students are only in their second year of studies, they have utilized what has been learned so far and their performances were commendable. In fact, the program courses are designed to combine theory and the practical part of it. The courses are structured in such a way as to equip the students with sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in their chosen careers. This program, which started in 1995, is a unique program in Papua New Guinea and perhaps in the Pacific region. The key part of the students” presentation was centred around the general objectives of the program. Though not necessarily in this order, the students presented what the program stands to achieve, these are:
(1)To
provide an opportunity for practising development, liaison, community
relations and personnel officers to gain further training and a deeper
understanding of the problems and solutions relating to the social,
economic, environment, legal, communicative and human issues which are
crucial to national development.
A 2nd Year Communication for Development student making a point in one of the presentations to a group of high school students who visited the Exhibition
(2) To offer school leavers and adult matriculants an opportunity for professional training as development, liaison , community relations and personnel officers in those areas of the public and private sectors which are concerned with natural resources exploitation and development.
(3) To respond effectively and appropriately to the needs of national and local level governments, companies engaged in development and landowners, for personnel with understanding and skills in communication facilitation at all levels.
(4) To produce officers who have a fundamental grasp of the theoretical and practical issues involved incommunication and liaison work, and an ability to exercise the necessary judgement, flexible circumspection, initiative and sensitivity to cope successfully with the demands of their profession.
(5) To strengthen the economic stability of PNG by limiting the occurrence of social conflicts and to rationalise compensation claims.
It was interesting to see how young people in high schools and even in primary schools became interested in what this program has to offer. Though, for many, dreams of coming to university may not be materialized, what struck most of us were their interests, hopes and desires. PNG's education system is structured in such a way that only a handful of students can make it to the Universities whilst the majority of them become school leavers.
Even those who were not able to make it to the Exhibition, the LCS Department had representatives to inform them about the academic activities of the Department. Children from a primary school listening to a presenter from the Department.
The students from the department did not raise the children's expectations high but made them aware that there is a program available if they are interested in working with people and resource developers, or with people and other government and non-governmental organizations. Further job prospects are also available in the media industry and in different research institutions. After all, the graduate of this program will have gained important skills in communication and when communication becomes an important tool or vehicle for change, the products of this program becomes useful in this change process; thus they should have less difficulty in finding a job as soon as they graduate.
