No intention to give away Panatina Campus to USP
THE Solomon Islands National University (SINU) has no intention of giving away its “national status” to the University of the South Pacific (USP).
SINU’s Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) Professor Basil Shelton Marasinghe stated this.
He was responding to recent calls for SINU to allow USP’s proposed 4th campus here to become our national university.
In doing that, SINU would change its status to become National University of Technology.
Former politician and premier of Choiseul Province, Clement Kengava, made the suggestion in an article he wrote in the Solomon Star.
His suggestion was strongly supported by one of the country’s leading lawyers, Dr Transform Aqorau.
Aqorau said it is not too late to consider Kengava’s suggestion and offer SINU’s Panatina Campus as the fourth USP Campus.
“Indeed, there is no harm save to our national pride to integrate SINU with the 4th Campus of USP, and turn SINU into a University of Technology,” Aqorau, who until recently was the CEO of the Marshall Islands-based Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), stated.
He said he had raised the proposal with Professor Rajesh Chandra of USP in April this year about the possibilities of such integration.
Aqorau said he supported the move because of the concerns he had about the economics of having two universities both of which will be supported in part by the Solomon Islands Government.
“Tertiary education is not cheap and given the demands on our limited resources, we cannot afford to stretch our limited resources that way by having two tertiary institutions both drawing on those limited resources.
“Integrating SINU into the 4th Campus as suggested by Kengava and then converting the Kukum Campus and its various satellite institutes into a Technical University makes sense.”
But in an article SINU’s Marasinghe wrote to the Solomon Star, he said SINU does not intend to do what Kengava and Aqorau have suggested.
“SINU has been existence for the last 3 years and this is the fourth year. SINU was created by an Act of Parliament and shall remain so,” Marasinghe said.
He said SINU has so far changed the face of University education in the Solomon Islands.
“It seems that the honourable writers are not aware of the progress SINU has made in the very short period of last 3 years and what are its plans for the future.
“SINU is a National University and it is a matter of national pride that SINU has conducted itself as a university from very little resources and experience.
“SINU has proven that a country like Solomon Islands can have a very successful National University which is totally focussed on the development of the country and is not unduly burdened with shuffling resources between competing priorities.
“SINU is the Solomon Islands National University and will remain always focused on Solomon Islands.
“SINU can guarantee that changes in management or governance structure will not suddenly shift its priorities.
“SINU is a product of a long term strategic vision for this country. Let us not succumb to short term vested interests.”
Marasinghe said other universities in the region with population comparable to Solomon Islands (e.g. Fiji and Samoa) have their own national university in spite of the presence of a regional university.
He continued:
“We understand better what our students and parents need for this country to progress to the levels where we can be same as anyone in the world.
“SINU is geared towards it and will ensure that this happens for our people.
“We are not sure if other institutions have the same vision for our students. We have not seen much evidence of this in the last 47 years.
“Solomon Islands needs a national university which can focus on solutions to its national problems and aspirations.”
By LESLEY SANGA
