EDUCATION
KAINANTU district topped the recent PNG University of Technology’s (PNGUOT) 58th graduation with the highest number of students graduating in one such event.
On April 16, 2026, 15 young Kainantu men and women graduated with bachelors’ degrees in various fields from PNGUOT in Lae, Morobe. It is the highest number of graduates from any one district in a single graduation from that university, according to officials there.
Often times, prominence and coverage by the mass media is given to politicians and important participants in big events such as graduations ceremonies. The genuine gratitude of other participants or beneficiaries, in this case the graduates, get very little or no media coverages due to space and clarity in newspapers and air time in electronic media (radio and television).
This story is about some very grateful and privileged young men and women, who if it was not for the Kainantu District Development Authority (DDA), would not have earned their degrees from one of PNG’s premier learning institutions. They are among PNG’s future workforce, leaders and parents whose success stories can be modelled by other young people as well as districts to produce more intellectuals.
Of the 15 Kainantu graduates, 12 were on-campus boarding students while three others attained their degrees through online studies.
The female graduates are Talitah Kamies and Nancy Moses both in Agriculture Science, Jadel Morris (Mineral Engineering and Processing) and Zhartica Bahanki (Applied Physics with Electronics and Instrumentation).
Male graduates are Joel Sefo Jr and Peru Tony in Agriculture Science, Finley Lucas and Jordon Aikebuse in Forestry Science, Zono Tonefa and Osinia Moss in Electrical Engineering (power), Elton Jeff (Applied Physics with Electronics and Instrumentation) and Fukuin Shirase Kama (Architecture and Construction Management).
Testimonies
Kamies, from Kingston (not in Jamaica) village in ward 1 of Agarabi local level government (LLG) area expressed appreciation for KDDA helping hundreds of students achieve their life-time dreams.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the commitment and vision shown in supporting students like me. This programme is not only an investment on individuals, but also in the future of our district and country. I am truly grateful for this opportunity given to me. I will forever be grateful for our good member and his team,” Kamies expressed.
Kama, Lucas, Tonny and Jeff also expressed their appreciation for the KDDA’s on-going commitment to supporting Kainantu tertiary students with tuition subsidy fees.
“Your support from 2024 to 2025 lifted a major financial weight and allowed me to stay focused on my studies. It made a practical difference for me and my family, and I don’t take that for granted. I value KDDA’s commitment to investing in students from our district. I’m committed to using what I’ve learned to contribute back to Kainantu,” Kama said.
Lucas, of Yababi village in ward 2 of Kamano 2 LLG is a grateful beneficiary of the KDDA subsidy programme.
“From 2023 to 2025 I have benefited from this scheme (and) has truly helped my parents so much in terms of school fee payments throughout my schooling years at the PNGUOT. Our utmost gratitude to William Hagahuno (Kainantu MP) and his team for making this happen,” he said
Tonny, also from Kamano 2 LLG village of Moife also told his story.
“When I reflect back, I realise that my parents could not fully afford my school fees, but this program stepped in and eased the burden. This now gives me hope and proves that a supportive government can lift the burden and open doors. Now, I can hold my pen with pride as a son of Kainantu and write my own story,” Tonny stated.
Jeff, from Barola village in Kamano 1 LLG said the assistance has played a vital role in enabling him to focus on his studies without the added burden of financial stress.
“The sponsorship has not only helped me achieve my academic goals, but has also opened doors to opportunities I might not have otherwise had access to. It is a testament to the district’s commitment to education and community development.”
Programme support
The Kainantu DDA tuition fee subsidy program has received overwhelming acceptance and support from parents and guardians in Kainantu district.
A parent from Barola area, Vincent Aikebuse has acknowledged and thanked the DDA for the “foresight and vision” to invest in education.
Aikebuse’s son, Jordon graduated with bachelor degree in forestry science.
“We the parents and majority of the people in the district are happy and support this support system because it has relieved many of us of the burden of finding money to educate our children,” Aikebuse said.
Acknowledgement
PNGUOT Kainantu student leader Wahid Seiby Mike has written to MP Hagahuno thanking him and the KDDA for student tuition fee programme.
Mike noted that the students’ success is testament to the MP’s vision and KDDA successfully implementing the subsidy program.
“Kainantu DDA is doing great helping parents, communities and country as a whole. Unlike other districts in the province (Eastern Highlands) and the country. Kainantu district is graduating the highest number of university students particularly in PNGUOT.
“There are 15 graduates from Kainantu. That’s a lot. Without the continuous help and support of the MP, I don’t think we would have such a number of students graduating.
“You are not just lifting the burden of the parents and the immediate family members but you are also contributing and touching the heart of the vast society he or she represents.
“In PNG tradition, raising a child to university is the responsible for the whole tribe because in the end, they carry the name of the tribe to the national and international level.
“Therefore, the 15 graduating students are not just 15 students; you have impacted 15 societies of Kainantu,” Mike stressed.
Kainantu experience
During the 2022 general election, one of Hagahuno’s election promise was to support tertiary students from the district with tuition fees, irrespective of tribal and political affiliations. It was a highly ambitious plan to produce as many Kainantu intellectuals as possible within the five-year term from 2022-2027.
Therefore, the 15 graduating students are not just 15 students, you have impacted 15 societies of Kainantu.”
Political opponents and critics dismissed it outright as another typical election sweet talk and political gimmick that would vanish into oblivion like many other grand project and program announcements of the past.
But, today Hagahuno’s steadfast political will and Kainantu DDA’s continued financial commitment each year is paying off with increasing number of Kainantu students graduating from universities and colleges PNG-wide.
Since the inception of the Kainantu tuition subsidy programme in 2023, the DDA has allocated K2.2 million annually specifically for this purpose.
During the first year in 2023, over 780 Kainantu students in higher learning institutions PNG-wide benefited. In 2024, the programme involved 1,000 plus students including direct entry into Somare Institute of Leadership and Governance (Silag). In 2025, the target was to assist 1,300 students and similar numbers of students this year.
The Kainantu DDA investment in education has resulted in high number of Kainantu students graduating from universities, colleges and other learning institutions.
This investment is not only for individual recipients, families and their communities, but also for Eastern Highlands Province and PNG as a country.
Summary
Education is a basic human right. It is a fundamental right that is enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 1948. It mandates free, compulsory elementary education, equal access to higher education and aims for full development of the human personality and strengthening of human rights.
This right aims to raise men and women out of poverty, level inequalities and ensure sustainable development.
Worldwide, many governments treasure education and have devised various subsidy policies to enable their citizens to further or increase their knowledge.
In PNG, among the first leaders who championed the idea of education subsidy or free education during 1990s was former prime minister and Western Highlands MP Paias Wingti. He was PNG’s third prime minister from 1985 – 1988 and later 1992-1994.
Wingti is considered by many as the “father of free education” concept in PNG, but he did not pursue his brainchild when he lost the 1997 general election. In that election (1997) PNG’s first secretary for finance and former managing director of the PNG Banking Corporation the late Mekere Morauta won the Moresby North West electorate under Wingti’s People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) party.
Valuing the importance of education, the Morauta government first implemented the free education as a government policy at the national level between 1999 and 2002. After the 2002 general election, when the National Alliance party took office, the education subsidy policy was scrapped and done away with.
That being so, some individual MPs, recognising the importance of education initiated and implemented their own school fee subsidies for their electorates.
Currently, the Government is implementing the tuition fee free (TFF) education while some MPs are also helping students in their electorates with school fees.
Education is an important human right because among many reasons, it helps people to develop their full potential and respect the rights of others.
There is a general misconception among many Papua New Guineans about the UN declaration of education as a human right. Under the universal declaration on education as a right, there is no shall or must do for governments to pay for education tuition fees.
It is not mandatory binding any government district or MP to pay school/tuition fee for any child/student.
Decisions to help students with tuition fees are of governments and MPs based on their public policies or choices of individual electorates.
So, the benefiting students must acknowledge and appreciate that they are privileged to be supported in their struggles to find money for their tuition fees.
This involves substantial amounts of much-needed taxpayer funds that could well be used to improving dilapidated road, transport and communication infrastructure and other essential public services in the districts.
All recipients or beneficiaries of such assistance must be grateful and appreciate the help they get from their leaders and DDAs.
If it was not for the wisdom and generosity of these MPs and DDAs to help individuals, many of them would not be in lecture rooms and receiving degrees, diplomas and certificates.
MPs and DDAs that are not currently assisting students from their districts need to review their development priorities and seriously consider putting education in the top of their list.
Investing in knowledge, education and human resources is an excellent long-term investment for individuals and the country – not promoting cargo cult mentality leadership of MPs acting like walking ATMs (automatic teller machines) dishing cash handouts.
In conclusion, one of the best quotes about the value of education is by a founding father of United States, Benjamin Franklin who once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”.
Simply, Franklin meant that acquiring knowledge and education is valuable and worthwhile for an individual, family, community and country.
- Henzy Yakham is a freelance writer. Story ideas can be forwarded to 72159301 or email: [email protected]
