‘It’s a national shame’: Sir Waena

Former Governor General Sir Nathaniel Waena. Photo credit: Secretariat of the Commonwealth.

The former Chair of the Solomon Islands National University (SINU), Sir Nathaniel Waena is worried about the current financial misfortune that is hitting hard on the state owned institution.

Sir Waena expressed his concern to SIBC News this morning following a media report that SINU is facing financial crisis because a number of students failed to pay their tuition fees.

Solomon Star News Paper today published an article saying the outstanding fees amount to 40 million dollars.

In his concern Sir Waena said the university is state owned and to face such financial situation is a national shame.

“We will be humiliated. The other countries will say we want to run our own university but we are not fit to run it. It is not right.

“And we need to bring in professors , they cost money. You cannot have a university that is substandard. You want to take pride in the courses being administered at the university with the employment of professors in the various schools so that they give credibility to the courses being offered.”

He added, the school fee scheme by Members of Parliaments to students in their constituencies is contributing to the issue.

A number of constituencies have big debts with the university.

“So i want to appeal, especially to members of parliament. Don’t kill our university. Go and pay the school fees the with the money Government has given you, especially with the idea that you have your on scholarship schemes.

”If you have the money go and pay the fees so that we will not be humiliated.”

By: Allen Waitara

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