Confidential report paints a grim future of SINU
A CONFIDENTIAL report on the on-going saga at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) has painted a grim future for the nation’s first tertiary institution if the government does not intervene.
The Solomon Star has obtained a copy of the seven-page report, which among other things has revealed for the first time the cause of what is going on within the corridors of the eight-year-old SINU.
“The public needs to know about the truth behind the current recruitment process that is currently underway at SINU … it is not about implementing the 2015 SINU Council decision for the restructure as claimed by the SINU Management and affirmed by the Minister of Education in a public statement earlier in (August).
“The exercise is triggered by something else which all citizens of Solomon Islands need to know,” the report said.
It all started, according to the report, when Ganesh Chand was appointed as Vice Chancellor by the SINU Council in 2018. Prof Chand was deported in November last year after it was found he had no work permits.
Three other Fijian nationals – allegedly recruited by Mr. Chand – were also deported for the same reason. They were still collecting their fortnightly salaries, compliment of the SINU’s Management.
The report also revealed that Vice Chancellor Chand was never shortlisted for the job when he applied.
Instead, the SINU Council had made “a direct appointment” after the successful candidate declined the offer.
Despite his deportation, the SINU Council gave Vice Chancellor Chand a directive to work for SINU from Fiji, according to the report.
“The criteria for the current staff recruitment exercise is based on nothing else but on the criteria of who supports Ganesh and who does not. The non-supporters in this regard are the financial members of the staff unions.”
According to the report all faculties and schools are experiencing very low staff capacity due to the mass recruitment exercise, claiming students’ Semester One results or grades are not ready.
“The Senate meeting to approve grades has not yet convened. This means students are denied their grades. Starting of Semester 2 has been disrupted. Classes should have begun on Monday 16th August but 80 to 90 per cent of lecturers not in attendance due to the delay of the recruitment process.
“Preparations for classes for semester 2 has been affected. Faculties and schools that are the hot target for not renewing staff contracts are mostly affected and around 10 per cent of staff only are in office,” the report said.
“One may wonder why SINU is taking this initiative … the answer is the whole reason for this exercise is a mere retaliation on the Ganesh issue and not serving the interest of the university.
“Disruption of service is not an issue at all. Fee payers, parents and the citizens must be informed that the quarrel between the staff and Ganesh supporters has huge repercussions for students studying at SINU,” the report said.
Staff with PhDs, Masters and other postgraduate qualifications as well as those who had been serving SINU for years, have been removed in the purge, according to the report.
“The people of Solomon Islands need to know the truth of matter about the current mass recruitment/termination exercise which is still on-going at SINU. They need to know that this exercise is not a SINU restructure exercise but a retaliation exercise … with huge financial implication.
“There was no plan, no budget for the exercise which negatively impacted the whole operation of SINU,” the report said.
“Staff are widely affected and as a result students are seriously affected,” the report written internally, said.
“This is a call on the government and responsible authorities that SINU needs intervention. If it’s a need to conduct an investigation based on these revelations so be it.
“As the only prime and National University of Solomon Islands, the government and its people, stakeholders must collaborate to achieve the university’s common goals and to ensure that all decisions are made to serve the interest of the University and the people of Solomon Islands,” the report said.
A member of the SINU Council last week told Solomon Star that critical positions at SINU had all been filled, a claim hotly disputed by members of the 281 academic and non-academic staff who are fighting to collect their entitlements.
By ALFRED SASAKO
Newsroom, Honiara
