ALL UOG BOUGAINVILLE STUDENTS FINANLY OUT OF GOROKA

The Autonomous Bougainville Government’s Ministry of Education, through its Department of Education and in collaboration with other relevant ABG departments and agencies, has worked diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of Bougainvillean students studying at the University of Goroka in light of the security situation.

The ABG Administration has been coordinating all response efforts by the Autonomous Bougainville Government to oversee all actions relating to the safety, support, evacuation, and repatriation of our students, led by the Chief Secretary Mr Kearnneth Nanei.

"The safety, support, evacuation and repatriation of our Bougainville students at the University of Goroka have been made possible through the collaborative efforts of the ABG through the President Ishmael Toroama, Vice President Ezekiel Massatt, Members of the Bougainville Executive Council, and the National Members; Regional Member Peter Tsiamalili Jnr, Member for South Bougainville Timothy Masiu, Member for North Bougainville Francesca Semoso, and the Member for Central Bougainville Jimmy Miringtoro," the ABG Minister for Education Robin Wilson said.

The ABG now provides the operational update on the repatriation exercise highlighting that the ABG Department of Education will complete the repatriation of the Bougainvillean students studying at the University of Goroka this week.

The repatriation exercise has been conducted over a one-week period beginning on the 17th of November and the last lot of 9 students left Goroka yesterday Monday 24th November.

A total of 68 Year One, Two and Three students have been successfully repatriated from Goroka and of the 68 students, 47 are on transit in Port Moresby awaiting their flights home to Buka this week, 21 students have been safely repatriated to Bougainville and are now with their families and communities.

This repatriation program is being led by the Ministry of Education through the Department of Education, working in close collaboration with other ABG departments and agencies.

The ABG reiterates that the safety and well-being of all Bougainvillean students remain paramount throughout this operation.

“We want to assure parents, families, and the wider Bougainville community that the ABG has taken all necessary steps to bring our students home safely by the end of this week,” Minister Wilson said.