The Student Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Goroka (UOG) in Eastern Highlands province, has called on the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and the Department of Education to reconsider the implementation of the new 2.8 Grade Point Average (GPA) requirement for teacher trainees.
The Council argues that the policy has unfairly affected many students already enrolled in teacher-training institutions.
In a recent media statement, SRC President Justin Muna stated that the newly introduced policy has resulted in uncertainty for many student teachers, particularly those in their second, third, and final years of study who entered the system under different requirements.
The SRC expressed concern that there was no adequate nationwide awareness, consultation, or formal circular issued before the policy was enforced.
President Muna stressed that students and their families have made significant financial and personal sacrifices with the expectation that they would graduate and serve as professional teachers in the country.
He alongside the council, argued that policies of such significance should be implemented with transparency and proper transitional arrangements to protect students who were already enrolled before the new requirements took effect.
In addition, the SRC has urged authorities to provide fair consideration to affected students and to ensure future policy changes are communicated early including at the secondary school level, so students can make informed decisions before entering teacher-training institutions.
Furthermore, the SRC stands in solidarity with teacher trainees across the country and has called for a solution that safeguards the future of aspiring educators in Papua New Guinea.
