BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
A powerful theme running through the autobiography of Chancellor of SINU Sir Dr Nathan Kumamusa Kere “Village Boy Knight Book” is the idea that service must come first.
Acting Vice-Chancellor of Solomon Islands National University (SINU), Dr William Parairato highlighted this during the official launch of the Book at the SINU Ranadi Campus on Monday.
Speaking at the launch Mr Parairato said that book highlights that education, research and leadership should primarily serve people, rather than focus solely on individual achievement.
“Sir Dr. Kere makes clear that the true purpose of education, research, and leadership is not personal achievement alone, but service to people. Drawing from his own experiences, he reflects on providing medical services to those affected by infectious diseases, particularly malaria, describing it as a defining part of his life’s work,” Mr Parairato said.
Mr Parairato said that the theme of service is consistently reflected throughout the manuscript, especially in his contributions to public health, efforts to combat malaria, and his role in strengthening national systems.
He said that a key message in the book is the call for research and scientific work in Solomon Islands to directly benefit local communities.
“Sir Dr. Kere stresses that knowledge should not be extracted from communities without giving back, but instead must be grounded in local ownership and participation. He advocates for a model of scholarship that prioritises local benefit, ensuring that research outcomes are meaningful and accessible to ordinary Solomon Islanders,” he said.
He said that the book also carries a strong message for institutions such SINU, to move beyond simply reproducing knowledge and instead focus on generating research that is relevant to the country’s development needs.
“In this regard, “Village Boy Knight Book” is not only a personal memoir, but also a broader statement on intellectual philosophy, emphasising that knowledge must be anchored in service and that national progress depends on building strong local leadership,” Mr Parairato said.
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