LOCAL students studying at Divine Word University in Madang, Papua New Guinea, are urged to strive for excellence.
This is because the country needs a well-educated and skilled human resource to help develop the country.
These are the words of Divine Word University Graduate Douglas Marau when addressing students after his graduation on Sunday.
Mr Marau, a senior journalist with the Solomon Star newspaper, graduated with a Bachelor of Communications Art (Journalism).
He was the only Solomon Islander to graduate with about 700 Papua New Guineans on Sunday.
“I’ve sown the seeds of the four years of struggle, tireless and sleepless nights trying to complete assignments and now I am indeed satisfied,” Mr Marau said.
“As students fortunate to be given scholarships by the Solomon Islands Government to study abroad, I can say that please make use of it, as it is not an opportunity but rather a responsibility.
“Success only comes through commitment, dedication and hard work.
“Nothing is hard or impossible in this world nor does anything come easy and be taken for granted in life, but if I can achieve this today then I don’t see why you the up coming ones cannot,” he said.
He urged students to take every day one step at a time and to strive for excellence in their different programs this year.
“And at the end of your four year study here at the University, you can further that knowledge and skill you’ve learnt to help in the development of our country,” he said.
Mr Marau who was also the former Solomon Islands student president at the university, thanked the Solomon Islands Government, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources, Solomon Star Company, Solomon Islands community in Madang for assisting him during his four years of study.
“Most of all I would like to thank God and my family back home in Honiara for supporting and helping me through to where I am today,” Mr Marau said.
Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea Bernard Bata’anisia spoke highly of Mr Marau and congratulated him on behalf of the Solomon Islands Government.
Mr Bata’nisia was one of the invited guests along with the PNG’s Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and his cabinet ministers.
“Our country needs more men and women in various fields in enhancing development and making our home a better Solomon Islands for all.
“I hope that the younger students will look at Mr Marau’s achievement as a motivation that would help them set their goals and priorities right and achieving success in their studies,” Mr Bata’anisia said.
A small number of Solomon Islanders living in Madang attended the graduation ceremony.
By JEREMY INIFIRI
in Madang, PNG
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