Dear Editor – One could not be left appalled by the way our students are now scrambling to return from PNG institutions over the recent political events resulting in the shooting of protesting students and the eventual closing down of normal classes.
It is common knowledge that this is not the first time this has happened.
In recent years, there have been tribal warfare and rascal rivals fighting that have also ended up in the disruption to classes in the institutions.
A situation which always causes fear and panic to our determined students.
Having said that, it is now time our government starts looking into turning our very own SINU into a competing academic institution, so as to allow our students to be taught here rather than being sent overseas just to experience such an uncalled for situation.
Likewise, it is time we began working towards having students from other Pacific Island countries coming in to experience our “Happy Isles”, and show them that we can also provide an environment of learning that they can enjoy their studies in and not be intimidated.
After all, having this arrangement also has a whole lot of other good benefits.
Solomon Islands is a country that has potential to have a Tertiary institution that could play host to overseas students from within the region.
Moreover, we also have a very unique lot to offer.
It is fully realising this great and rare opportunity and taking advantage of it that seems to only possess the fringes of the vision of our national leaders, thereby culminating in a very slow process leading towards making it happen.
Finally, before we regret losing any of our students to the repetition of this sort of saga anytime in the near future, our government should now start looking into addressing it.
As a concerned Solomon Islands citizen, I cannot bear the thought of allowing any of our good students exposed to being a victim of a situation that we have nothing to do with.
Ben Lesibana
White River
