UNIVERSITY of the South Pacific (USP) and Solomon Islands National University (SINU) students in Malaita Province who have discontinued their courses due to their inability to pay for their tuition fees are calling on the National Government to engage them as volunteers in the 2023 Pacific Games Collective Workforce and the biometric voter registration for the 2024 National General Election.
The students made this call after learning of the existence of temporary job opportunities with the electoral commission and the 2023 Pacific Games Organising Committee.
Speaking to Solomon Star, the Solomon Islands National University and USP students in Malaita expressed the view that it is important to recruit students who have school fee issues to fill up temporary jobs with these two important bodies.
One of the students said he is amongst a number of the USP students who could not continue their studies due to school fee problems.
He said he has learnt that there are national events coming up and the government is looking to engage temporary workers to help them host these events.
The student said the government should consider engaging students like them to provide them with valuable job experience and also some sort of allowances that would help them pay for their school fees so they could continue their studies.
“Engaging students like us in such short-term jobs will really help us meet our course fees and other educational expenses.
“I have applied to work as Presiding Officer in the recent West Kwara’ae bye- election but my application was not successful.
“My intention is to earn some money to pay for my course fees. Also, engaging students in such tasks will provide valuable job experience and build up my curriculum vitae,” the student said.
A recent statement from the Games Organising Committee (GOC) said the committee is recruiting 2500 plus volunteers to join the 2023 Pacific Games collective workforce.
“Applications will be open to the general public, including all sectors of employment – public and private sectors, national federations, NGOs, local community groups and school students,” the statement said.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Solomon Star, Auki
